Classroom invasion; university students at gunpoint

A robbery was executed at the ITVET on Freetown Road which shows that robberies are becoming even more daring and dangerous. The robbery did not just take place in the compound; in fact it was inside a classroom of the UB Faculty of Engineering. Early afternoon, at about one-thirty on Tuesday, three students; Nirmal Babani of Belize City, Wen Cheng of Mile twenty-five Western Highway and Hilmer Arias of Valley of Peace, all twenty year olds, were in a classroom on their computers when three armed men simply walked in and ordered that “nobody move”. The brazen robbers searched the students and stole from them laptops; cell phones, jewelry and cash valued over six thousand seven hundred dollars. They then walked away and got into a waiting car. Jeffrey Jones of the Faculty of Engineering says the three students are traumatized by the incident.

Jeffrey Jones, Lecturer, UB Faculty of Engineering

Jeffrey Jones

“Basically what happened yesterday about maybe one-thirty quarter to two, thereabouts, three students were in a classroom just working on their laptops probably doing extra work outside of lecturing class; three someone from outside came in with probably guns, sharp objects and they take away about three laptops and about two cell phone or three cell phones from the students. They then walked out back through the gate and I think they said they got in a car and they went out.”

Andrea Polanco

“So were these men masked?”

Jeffery Jones

“It was like three, but young persons, according to what they described nuh; and they said that they came with knapsack on their backs like regular students. Maybe that is how they get pass the security system, as regular students.”

Andrea Polanco

“Okay and that would be through the front gate or..?”

Jeffery Jones

“It was through the back gate that is on the back side by the gas station; that was the exit.”

Andrea Polanco

“And there you have a regular security guard?”

Jeffery Jones

“Yes, we have a security booth there in terms of security from UB.”

Andrea Polanco

“Were any of the students injured or so?”

Jeffery Jones

“No, well they say the gunman just told them to be calm but they were frightened more than anything else.”

Andrea Polanco

“Well this is a traumatic incident, and has UB offered any counseling for the students?”

Jeffery Jones

“This morning we set up a counseling session with our counselor from UB. We did a counseling session for all three students and the counselor discussed with them different things, so yes, that is in place at this moment.”

Andrea Polanco

“And any extra measures in terms of security for the campus?”

Jeffery Jones

“Well in respect to that, I am sure that university through the bigger picture will be looking at that to see how we can tighten up with our security system and how to use our I.D system more for students on campus, for sure that will be in place.”

Andrea Polanco

“And as far as you know of course, this is the first time an incident of this nature has transpired, in recent times?”

Jeffery Jones

“Yes, from my experience this is the first time something in this respect happened in the classroom itself. We know of incidents in respect of students being jacked on the campus or moving around the city; but first time an incident like this inside the actual classroom on the campus.”

Police investigations continue.