A teacher was robbed yesterday but it didn’t occur on the street
or in a home – the robbery was pulled off inside a classroom at the city’s
largest primary school. Keith Swift found out that while the robber wasn’t
armed – he did pack a punch and so did the heroic teacher who fought back.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Teacher Nicolette Bradley was attacked here, in of all places, her infant one
classroom at Holy Redeemer Primary School. She says she was preparing to leave
when her attacker entered.
Nicholette Bradley, Teacher/Robbery Victim
“Me and my niece were in a classroom getting ready to leave and then
I was just erasing the board to put on the new date for today and then he came
in slowly, doing a little 360 turn and came towards me at the blackboard. First
of all I thought it was a parent that came looking for their child and then
he came and put his hand in a yellow plastic bag, a transparent one on his left
hand, and then he put it towards my chest and said, ‘give me all that
you have.’ I told him I don’t have anything and then my little niece 
started to scream because I guess she realized what was happening and then when
she started to scream, he took his hands and shoved her from the desk where
we were standing to all the way at the back. And then she just stayed there
stooping down and screaming.”
Nicolette says the man then tried to flee with her purse and that is when she
fought back – and her attacker punched her down – and in the face
– which is why her jaw is swollen.
Nicholette Bradley,
“He fixed his fist and I hauled back like this and he punched me straight
in my face and that is when I dropped on the ground and that is when he got
the chance to run through the door with the purse and I ran behind him across
the court. But he was on a bicycle so I didn’t get the chance to pull
him or anything.”
Keith Swift,
“What made you decide to fight back?”
Nicholette Bradley,
“Because I realized that he didn’t have a gun nor a knife and
he was a little bit taller than me so I said I could fight for my purse because
I wasn’t afraid because if he had a gun yes I would back up but he didn’t
have anything, just his hand trying to frighten me and so that is the reason
why I put on a fight with him and I honestly thought I could get back my purse
if he wasn’t on a bike and maybe walking or something like that.”
It is an outrageous attack which Nicolette – who is a teacher’s
assistant – never thought would happen on a school compound.
Nicholette Bradley,
“I thought that would happen on the street, maybe exiting the school
gate on that main street but not in my classroom because in there I thought
I was safe but it seems I am not safe at all. It was crazy because I told my 
principal he could have raped me and my little niece, he could have did us a
lot of things. Maybe if he had a weapon we could have been dead; all kind of
things could have happened.”
And that is what has Holy Redeemer’s Principal Suzette Arzu outraged.
Suzette Arzu, Holy Redeemer Principal
“Its very disturbing to know that we as teachers are here to educate
our country, our city, our children and people are out there who think they
have a right to come in and just do whatever they choose to people. That is
not nice. How can a guy just come in, take away a teacher’s stuff, and
punch her off feet. I think we need to do something about this crime situation
in Belize. It is getting out of hand when teachers are being attacked in the
classroom.”
Arzu says the school has implemented new security measures – such as
a lock on the gate – and there is also an appeal to parents.
Suzette Arzu,
“I also need to appeal to parents to get their children home or get
them off the compound by 4 pm everyday. We as a staff, we have decided that
we will need to leave school earlier. We are normally here very late but we
know what can happen when we are here very late. So parents I am appealing to
you to make sure your kids are off the compound by 4 pm everyday. When this
incident took place yesterday, a little after 5, enough children were still
around. They saw exactly what happened. Parents I am appealing to you; please
make sure you take them away from here.”
Keith Swift,
“Will there be any new security measures?”
Suzette Arzu,
“Well we are still discussing what we need to do but we are sure we
will keep our gates padlocked at all times now. So you will need to get the
school warden to open the gate and we will be screening those who enter our
compound.”
Keith Swift,
“Has this in anyway make you think twice about becoming a teacher?”
Nicholette Bradley,
“Not really because I love teaching, I love students, I love children
so that is the reason why I went into the profession and that won’t change
my mind. I am studying at the moment at UB to be a teacher in the primary education
program for my Bachelor’s Degree so that won’t change anything and
I am scared yes, I won’t say I am not scared but it was just frightening
for me and my little niece, she is only 6 years.”
Police continue investigations but so far no one has been arrested.
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