7 News Belize

Police Recover M-16 Stolen from BDF
posted (March 1, 2010)

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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