7 News Belize

Women Targeted In OW Home Invasion
posted (January 14, 2014)
3 men are under investigation tonight for a home invasion in Orange Walk town where the assailants terrorized 2 businesswomen.

Maria Elisa Artiga and her daughter had just locked up their family store, Elisa's shop, and when they got home to their house on the Palmar Boundary Road, 4 masked men ambushed them with a toy gun, and held them hostage in their own home.

Yesterday, one of the victims spoke with 7News, and she asked to appear off-camera while describing what happened.

Voice of: Maria Elisa Artiga, home invasion victim
"We were reaching at my house then my mom opened the gate. When she open the gate one of the guys came and pull her and then when I turned backwards I saw 3 more. They pull me from the car and they pushed me to the ground. One of them put their foot on my head. My mom was fighting with them and then one of them had a toy gun and my mom break it. Afterwards they forced us to go into the house to my mom's room and covered us with a sheet. They ask for all the money and we told them that all the money was in the purse. They said that they want more, but we told them that we didn't have any more."

"They asked us for the keys for the house, they leave in the car and left us with two of the guys. Two other guys came here at the shop, open the door and went with all the money. We stayed in the house for two hours. I was thinking about what they will do; if they will kill us or rape us or something."

Daniel Ortiz
"How did they actually decide that after they had done what they did that that was enough and they would leave you all alive?"

Voice of: Maria Elisa Artiga, home invasion victim
"I don't know. They had us on the bed and they didn't tell us anything. We just heard that they went with the car and that's it."

The men escaped with jewelry, $800 from the store which they brazenly stole the family's car and used to get to the business place. They already had all the keys so they opened up and took the cash from the register.

They also escaped in the family's vehicle, but they didn't get far, because Orange Walk Police responded quickly and detained them while they were in the process of fleeing:

Inspector Julius Cantun, Investigator - Orange Walk Police
"Quick police action and response led to the discovery and recovery of the said car and further police investigations have subsequently resulted in the detention of 3 persons for this investigation. Persons are from the Orange District and the immediate area of San Jose Palmar. The matter is still under investigation. I must mentioned that almost all the items that were stolen were recovered by the police. Its just a matter of time that the police officers conclude their investigation and have the other person involved before they are arraigned in front of the magistrate anytime soon."

Ronald Bruhier, and 2 minors, from Orange Walk have since been charged with aggravated burglary, wounding, taking a conveyance without authority. While they were trying to overpower the two women, Maria Artiga fought back, and one of the men punched her in the face.

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