7 News Belize

Carjacking On The Spanish Lookout Road
posted (June 1, 2012)
Our next story is about an unusual and disturbing carjacking. It happened on the Spanish Lookout Road in broad daylight - and the victim is well known Belize City engineer Omar Mitchell.

The location is unusual - and so is the fact that the carjackers tried to inject him with an unknown substance. The good news is that he was not seriously hurt, but the chilling news is that criminals are striking in broad daylight on a heavily trafficked road. We found out more when we visited the area today.

Jules Vasquez reporting
This is the stretch of pavement on the Spanish Lookout Road that Omar Mitchell was driving on at 11:15 yesterday morning.

He was in his 2009 silver Toyota Hilux at this area, about a half a mile south of BNE - and is quite heavily trafficked. So he thought nothing of it when a vehicle tried to pull him over. He presumed it was police:.

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - Cayo District
"When he stopped, the two male persons who are Hispanic decent approach the vehicle and requested him to move over so that they could take command of the vehicle."

"One of them took out something which he believe was to inject him and he had a struggle with them. During the struggle the man which was in possession of one of the subjects went off and injured him in the left leg."

Mitchell was only grazed - and he used the opportunity to jump out of his pickup - as the thieves drove off with it:

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - Cayo District
"After the shot was fired he manages to get away from them as a result of a struggle and having a shot they believe that people might come on the scene, so they got scared and drove off."

"The suspects manage to get away with his vehicle which was a blue Toyota Hilux. The other vehicle that they were using - a car, they also drove off with that as well."

"We had received information just a while ago and have confirmed that the vehicle has been located in the mountain pine ridge road near Georgeville. The vehicle is currently in possession of the police."

The vehicle has been recovered, but it still does not explain the attack:

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - Cayo District
"At this time we cannot say basically what the motive is, but from what it appears like now, it appeared to have been a robbery. To say it was a random or target we cannot say at this time."

But whether random or targeted the type of robbery denotes a disturbing new M.O. for highway robberies

Sr. Supt Chester Williams, OC - Cayo District
"This is the first time I've heard of any person being the victim of a crime whereby the suspects had intention to inject them. It could have been that they wanted to put him to sleep or destabilize him. It could be kidnapping, it could be different things."

"All the different possibilities we have to look at to try and see what could be the motive behind this incident."

Mitchell declined an interview at this time - and told us that he pulled over because he thought it was police. He says he was only grazed and has been treated and released from the hospital. He believes the man who pulled him over - a well-dressed Hispanic male - used a Glock 9 pistol.

Police have recovered the pickup but have no suspects at this time.

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