Heavy weapons found on George Street

The most recent piece of police news unfolded this afternoon in a part of Belize City that is no stranger to confrontation. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story.

Marion Ali, Reporting
A police operation this afternoon in the George Street area of Belize City yielded these two AK 47 rifles and over one hundred rounds of live ammunition.

Senior Superintendent Chester Williams says the prohibited firearms and ammo were found inside this abandoned house by residents of the area.

Chester Williams, Senior Superintendent of Police
“The search resulted in the discovery of 2 A.K 47 rifles. Along with rifles were one hundred and three 7.62 rounds of live ammunition. Police have brought the firearms and the ammunition to the police station. No one was found in the area. As a result no one has been charged in relation to the discovery. However our investigation into this incident continues. We’ll see if we could tie it to anyone who we believe may have left it there for safekeeping.”

During the operation, Williams said they received additional information about another house across the street where illegal guns were allegedly hidden. However when police proceeded to that residence, they met resistance and had to use force to enter.

Chester Williams
“The owner of the house stand outside on the street despite the police officers’ telling her that they need to search the house for firearms. She refused to open the door, saying she will not open the house. As a result of that I instructed my officers to force the door open. That was done; a search was conducted in the house. However I must say that nothing incriminating was found.”

Marion Ali
“The young lady told us that they got no warning. They only knew the police were outside when the heard a loud bang at the gate and the police were already upon them.”

Chester Williams
“I will strongly refute her comment and as a matter of fact I will tell you that the officers stood in the yard for at least about ten minutes waiting for her to open the door. She stand outside on the street. When I got there she was on the street. The officers told her that they need to enter the house and she categorically said that she would not open the door.”

The owner of the house did not talk to us but we did speak with Kimberly Todd, one of the occupants, who gave us her account of how things happened.

Kimberly Todd, George Street resident
“Some police man come seh they the look fi Brandon Tillett and they just come and bruk down the gate fi no reason. They coulda mi seh thay want come in an we mi wah let they in, but they just come an bruk down the gate. Then afta that we tell they we noh wan open the gate because last time when my cousin Alpheus Smith mi dead, they mih come bruk down the door, mess up the whole house and when they done, kerr the bwoi they da station and still hurt one ah my cousin, bruk ih jaw. So weh somebody from yah jus dead again we seh we noh want dat again cause they feel like we gwen go retaliate but da noh nothing like that.”

Marion Ali
“You noh feel like if maybe yoh mi open the gate maybe yoh no mi wah get this kinda police reaction.”

Kimberly Todd
“We noh even know they the come. Dah when we hear the gat stamp down we hurry shut the door cause we noh know if tehy wah come beat anybody or so.”

Officer Williams advises the public against this type of behaviour.

Chester Williams
“And whenever the police come to your house to conduct search you must respect the police and open the house. You cannot stand on the street corner and say that you will not open the door for the police. What you take us for? We are there to do our job and I will always encourage my officers to do their job and do it the right and professional way. If it means forcing down a door to gain entry because of people refusal, then we will do that. We will not walk away because someone refuse to open their door for the police. That doesn’t make sense for the police.”

Marion Ali
“Do you apply intimidation?”

Chester Williams
“No I don’t apply intimidation. I work within the context of the law. That is how I do my job. If people see it as a form of intimidation then hey, I have nothing to say.”

Marion Ali for News Five.