| A Canadian businessman who's been in Belize for just over a week says he might not make it to the end of his stay because he's been robbed twice in eight days.
John Lorenz is stating at the Renaissance Towers in Belize City - and walks over to the Radisson Gym for his morning workout. But, twice, on the walk over, he claims two different pairs of men have tried to rob him.
Lorenz told us about it today:..
John Lorenz, Canadian businessman
"I've been here now since March 26th and I'll be staying for the foreseeable future unless I get killed in the meantime."
Daniel Ortiz
"Why do you feel that your life and safety is threaten in this country?"
John Lorenz, Canadian businessman
"I have lived in a lot of different countries in the world like Rio de Janeiro which is a dangerous city and I never felt unsafe there, but I feel very unsafe here in Belize City. Within the last 8 days I have been attacked twice, once by an older gentleman and a young boy who tried to rip a chain off my neck, they didn't get away with it. This happened right in the main walkway between the Princess Hotel and the Radisson. I walk there every day, I don't go out at night and this morning when I was walking up to the Radisson Hotel, two thugs approached me on bicycles and ask me what I had for them and I said I don't have anything get away and then I stated to move and the guy hit me very hard with his arm across my chest, knock the wind out of me but I was able to keep on moving and I ran. There was no vehicles around other than a water truck that was approaching, they didn't notice, but I didn't try to flag them down. I did stop a tourist van and I ask them to please call the police and I continued my way to the Radisson."
"I feel very uncomfortable being here at the moment. I will continue to stay because I do have business that I am trying to conduct here, but I never go out at night because I feel unsafe. I just go out during the day time and I will caution people if they are coming here that they have to be extra safe."
Police at Precinct 3 confirm that Lorenz did come to the station this morning accompanied by two tourism police officers. He made a report and it is being investigated. We note that the precinct only has two mobiles for patrol and administrative duties.
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