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Police Look To Dealer For Clues In Stolen Hilux Pickups
posted (October 24, 2014)
Yesterday, we told you about how Belmopan Police managed to recover a government owned Toyota Hilux pickup that had been stolen.

The Hilux belongs to the Department of Archaeology, and just like the other 4, it was parked in front of the department's headquarters in Belmopan. Just like the others, someone simply jumped in and drove off with it, but by a stroke of good fortune, one of the employees saw the vehicle as it leave the parking lot, and realized that none of the authorized drivers were behind the wheel.

Today, the Director of the Institute of Archaeology told us more:

Dr. John Morris, Director - Institute of Archeology
"There were several vehicles in the parking lot and in fact two vehicles were being loaded to go to one to Lamanai and one to Caracol and we were in the process of putting in supplies in those vehicles that we take to those sites and this fellow just walk off the street on the Ring Road and he got into one of the vehicles. He used a key to get into the vehicle and fortunately for us one of our officers were coming down the stairs with his load of stuff to put in the vehicle and he saw the vehicle driving off and then he said wait a sec, the other guy who us driving the vehicle is upstairs and he turn around and went back up and check and yes the other guy was upstairs and he said somebody drove off in your vehicle and that is how we realize that somebody had stolen the vehicle. We set chase after the vehicle in two of our own vehicles and then at the same time we call the police and the police then setup road blocks at the Iguana Creek Bridge and also at George Ville and that is how we were able to stop the theft of the vehicle."

The Director and his staff believes that the thief somehow managed to make a copy of the keys, and that's how he was able to get in without any difficulty. He told us today that they suspect that the person got the key on the day of servicing:

Dr. John Morris, Director - Institute of Archeology
"There are suspicions as to how someone got a key for it. We recognize that where we would service our vehicles, we had just sent the vehicle in for servicing a day and a half ago and there could be some connections there."

Daniel Ortiz
"You believe that someone made a copy of the key?"

Dr. John Morris, Director - Institute of Archeology
"Yes, we believe that somebody made a copy of the key. In fact they made a copy of the key and so that's with the police. The police have done fingerprint, scenes of crime analysis and they are in the process of trying to locate the persons that they think are responsible for it."

Daniel Ortiz
"Is it fact that you guys have done servicing - that other government vehicles go to get service there?"

Dr. John Morris, Director - Institute of Archeology
"Yes, it is one of the bigger service stations here in Belmopan. Its Belize Diesel and many of our government vehicles, in fact all of our vehicles are serviced there. For us it is to coincidental that we sent our vehicle for servicing and then somebody tried to steal it."

And so what do police have to say about it? Well yesterday the officer commanding Belmopan was more circumspect - but he did say that servicing has to be watched closely:..

Jules Vasquez
"Is someone influencing the drivers of these vehicles, who are multiple drivers, because they are government vehicles to let off a key or maybe they are influencing security guards to look the other way or is there maybe collusion at some other level where the keys are being left. Is that something you all are looking at?"

Supt. Howell Gillett - OC, Belmopan Police
"I think it's a combination of many things. There are many theories as I said earlier, but we are yet to have them concretely iron out. We are investigating and I am happy to say that we believe that with this latest case and all the ground work that we've been doing for the past other stolen vehicles, we will unravel what is really occurring. Our message would be to be very vigilant, secure the keys. When you are going to do any changing or any servicing at the different service agents, that somebody is there and you monitor where the key goes and so on because there are some theories, but I wouldn't want to go in details with them, but I think we will prove those theories very shortly."

We've since contacted Israel Pi Marin, the Managing Director of Belize Diesel and Equipment Company, and he told us that he would be willing to make comment when the investigation is complete.

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