7 News Belize

Boots Bangles Burglars
posted (April 15, 2013)
Tonight, 7 Belize City residents are facing criminal charges in relation to $31,000 dollars in stolen building supplies. The allegations are that between Thursday, April 11, and April 12, 3 houses in the final stage of construction at mile 1 on the Western Highway were burglarized. The thieves made off with doors, windows, window frames, and bathroom items such as the toilets, and basins.

Well, quick police investigation led to the recovery of a large portion of the items, and the arrest of 43 year-old Louis Robinson, along with his wife and 15 year-old and 17 year-old daughters. They were charged with 2 counts of handling stolen goods, and they were arraigned today in Magistrate's Court.

After police intercepted the items at Robinson's home, they were led to 26 year-old Michael Godoy, and 19 year-old Adrian Avaloy, who they arrested and charged jointly with 3 counts burglary. They were also arraigned in court today. They were also charged jointly with Mark Godoy Sr. with handling stolen goods because some of the items were connected back to these three men by police.

It's a major break in the case, and along with the recovered items, police have tied it up in a nice bow. Today, Minister of Human Development, Social Transformation, and Poverty Alleviation, Anthony "Boots" Martinez, gave us a tour of the burglarized houses, and he told us that it is disheartening that this burglary was targeted at poor people in dire need of help:

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Minister of Human Development, Social Transformation, Poverty Alleviation
"These houses are houses that were on the second phase of the Poverty Alleviation list that was put up two years ago and now we started the process of filling the lots and putting up houses for the people who are recipients of these houses. But last week two unfortunate incidents happened involving this first house. On Monday night they stole all the windows and the doors from this house. We had to replace the windows and doors and on Thursday, the three of them were set up and in the night they stole all the doors, the electrical wires, bathroom fittings; a lot of materials from the house. But fortunate enough that the police acted swiftly and apprehended the culprit and retrieved back a lot of the material that was missing. What is so disheartening is the people that are stealing are poor people like the other people. In other words, I am saying how can you displace another poor person? I can understand that everyone can't get but you will come and destroy another poor person so that not any of you have. My understanding is that they were selling the doors for $35.00 each. How a door that is valued at $300 and add doesn't make any sense to me. It is very disheartening but again I have to applaud Superintendent Grinage and the police department for acting so swiftly. The poor people recovered some of their materials." Michael Godoy, Adrian Avaloy, and Louis Robinson could not meet the bail granted to them, and so they were remanded to prison this evening. The other 4 were able to meet bail, and so they are out tonight.

It is important to note that all of the accused persons live in the near vicinity of the burglarized houses.

And while we had the opportunity, we asked the minister about the case of Marilyn Burgess, the resident of Faber's Road in dire need of a home because she doesn't have the finances to build one by herself.

Martinez promised that his ministry would intervene and assist her, but she's returned to our newsroom several times to complain that no steps have been taken to alleviate her situation.

Today, we asked him to give an update, and told us that his ministry has many people on a waiting list for housing under the poverty alleviation project, and that she cannot be pushed up the line just because she lives in his constituency.

More than that, he told us that it's not just another politician promise:

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"I don't know about any efforts that have been made on her part. Everything in life there is a thing called Time. There's a saying that says 'Time heals all wounds'. Definitely Ms. Marilyn is down on the list to get a house. Ms. Marilyn is my constituency and she is a good friend of mine. I'm not only dealing with her house but I'm also dealing with subdivision for her lots that she wants to give to her children. So hopefully by the end of May; it will entail a process where we may have to find a house for Ms. Marilyn to rent for a month and so we can remove what is there and replace the structure. Everything is just timing."

Daniel Ortiz
"So, you won't agree that it's not one of those politician promises. You plan to deliver!"

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"Well I don't think that you are forced to make any promises. In the case of Ms. Marilyn and I; I want to be straight-forward. If it was not forthcoming, I say to a lot of people 'I don't see how I can do it at this stage'. So it isn't any politician's promise. For a matter of fact she has been moved up. Even these people that have been getting these homes, there names were on a list that has been approved for over two years. I'm just saying there are a lot of people who have been waiting."

Martinez told us that he understands the frustration of those in need with the time that the process takes to provide them with relief, but there are regulations that they must follow to be equitable.

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