And while those shootings are keeping police busy, investigators were
very busy on Friday on the trial of the M-16 rifle that was stolen from a sleeping
BDF soldier. Just over two weeks ago – the rifle was stolen from a BDF
soldier who crawled into his car and went to sleep while on patrol in the Rocky
Road area of Belize City. While he lay sleeping, his M16 rifle was stolen and
he didn’t find out until he woke up. It’s a huge embarrassment but
it should be over now as police have gotten back the weapon and the 32 live
rounds and arrested the man who they believe stole it.
He is 24 year old Honduran National Alex Garcia who was charged with
theft when he appeared today in Magistrate’s Court. Police tracked him
down on Friday and he told them that he knocked on the car twice before he stole
the weapon. He also told them who he sold the weapon to and that’s where
police found it. Commissioner Jeffries explained.
Crispin Jeffries, Commissioner of Police
“The gentleman is alleging that he passed the vehicle several times
and knocked on the vehicle and later pulled the weapon from the vehicle and
took it. The BDF Adjutant has come forward and has identified that weapon as 
one of theirs and we were fortunate enough that the good citizen that bought
the weapon said to us he bought he weapon because he believed that the man who
stole the weapon was a drug addict and could have done more things with that
weapon. So he bought it and in good faith he was approached and he offered to
return it for his money. We had to find the funds to deal with it and that money
has been returned and we will not be charging that person.”
And that so called good citizen, while he got the thanks of police
–and was reimbursed an undisclosed sum for the cost of the weapon, knowingly
purchased and held unto stolen goods – in fact it was only recovered after
police tracked him down. We asked Jeffries, does that constitute the kind of
behaviour that should exempt this individual form facing criminal charges?
Crispin Jeffries,
“Legally speaking we can in fact charge him but we are being lenient
with him because he assisted us.”
Jules Vasquez,
“But its not far fetch to think that this person who bought it would have
held on to it indefinitely.”
Crispin Jeffries,
“Not is an assumption, that is an assumption and we want to agree
with you that we could have assumed the same.”
Jules Vasquez,
“Well it is an assumption rooted in fact because he had been holding on
to it…”
Crispin Jeffries,
“Arguably but true but at this point in time our position is that
we will not charge. Mr. Vasquez it is very entertaining for you to be talking
about the moral issues here. The fact is that we made a discretionary and that
discretionary move led us to the recovery of a firearm that could have been
far more deadly in the hands of the criminal element.”
And so Alex Garcia is the only one who will get charged in all this.
The court details show that BDF Private Hubert Jones said that the M-16 was
between his legs as he lay sleeping in the front passenger seat with the window
down. Jones said when he awoke around 4:00 am – he found the rifle missing.
Remarkably both the police release and the court details say that Garcia
directed police to a bushy area on Central American Boulevard where they recovered
the weapon. That we know is patently untrue because the Commissioner himself
said it was recovered from what he called a good citizen. But that good citizen
faces no charges and Garcia who is illegally in Belize has been denied bail
and remanded until April 12th.
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