7 News Belize

Rural Cops Caught A Big Gun, Says Criminals Were Going Equipped
posted (December 29, 2015)
For most of this month, Eastern Police Rural have been on the news giving updates on the eight armed thieves who burglarized the home of Lebanese Diplomat Sarkis Abou Nehra in Burrell Boom. A part of that narrative, was the attempt by police to prevent this crime, but the criminals were one step ahead.

Well tonight, police are reporting that they are the ones who were a step ahead - and it allowed them foil a major robbery which was planned for a business place in Ladyville. Daniel Ortiz reports:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
This rusty looking gun looks like its definitely seen better days but the metal bar sitting on top of it, which also appears worse for wear, is an extended magazine clip, which was loaded with 30 bullets.

It's a submachine gun, and police research says that it's most likely, a CZ 25 model, which are originate from Czechoslovakia. It's capable of rapid bursts of fire for a barrage of bullets at a chosen target.

That's what police happened on last night after acting on good intelligence of a robbery plot being put into motion.

Senior. Supt. Edward Broaster - OC, Eastern Division Rural
"Based on "see something, say something, stop something" and the district defense dorm that we setup and because of the efforts of our rural rapid response team, we were able to, based on intelligence avert a major robbery in the Ladyville area."

So, how did the gun end up in their hands?

Senior. Supt. Edward Broaster - OC, Eastern Division Rural
"At about 10:05pm our highway patrol rural rapid response engaged a vehicle that was coming into the Ladyville area via Burrell Boom junction and upon spotting our highway patrol, it attempt to make its escape toward the area of Sandhill Village. Our highway patrol pursued the vehicle and some minutes later a bag was thrown from the vehicle and our highway patrol stopped and let out one of our rural rapid response team member where they discovered a Bob Marley black and white bag which contained a sub-machine 9mm gun."

That brief period that the officer used to retrieve the weapon, gave them just enough time to evade police. It was flung in to the side of the Northern Highway at an area between Mile 26 and Mile 27.

Senior. Supt. Edward Broaster - OC, Eastern Division Rural
"The vehicle managed to elude our highway patrol and the firearm was brought into the station and processed."

So, how does the firearm factor into this foiled robbery plot in Ladyville?

Senior. Supt. Edward Broaster - OC, Eastern Division Rural
"The objective of these perpetrators were to plant this sub-machine gun in a disclosed location in the Ladyville area last night where they would have come today or tomorrow to commit a major robbery in our area and due to the efforts that the cooperation we've been having with our community and the efforts of our rural rapid response team, we were able to foiled that plot."

Daniel Ortiz
"Do you all know which criminal element was involve with this particular plan?"

Senior. Supt. Edward Broaster - OC, Eastern Division Rural
"We know exactly the criminal elements that were prepared to commit this robbery yes."

Reporter
"Are they related to any of the gangs in Belize City?"

Senior. Supt. Edward Broaster - OC, Eastern Division Rural
"We know that the perpetrator may want to continue the plot, but we want them to know that we know and not in our division."

Eastern Division Rural Police say that they will remain vigilant just in case these criminals decide to make another attempt at carrying out their robbery plans.

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