We've reported on several robberies over the past few weeks, and in that time police increased patrols throughout the city in an effort to protect businesses. But the police can only do so much and it's impossible to prevent every attempted robbery. Today the head of the Crime Investigation Branch, Assistant Superintendent Alejandro Cowo advised business owners to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity...
ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City
"I would like to take this opportunity to encourage and advise the business owners, yes the police has a responsibility to patrol the entire city and the country, but it is also their responsibility to make sure that their business is safe, to be alert, observant. We have notice a trend that persons have been entering business walking inside of the business at least 3-4 times before the robbery is committed and it is the same person that have been going scouting the area. So we are advising the business owners to be a little bit more alert and be observant as to who are these persons that are coming in and out of the shop. We know that as a matter of fact, because of the pressure here in Belize City that the police are putting, these persons are looking out districts where they are really not known to the different businesses and to even the police patrolling the grounds there and this is the advantage they are taking. We advise the business owners to be alert and any suspicious behavior to please report it or even tell another colleague inside of the business to be alert.'
Most of these robberies have a lot in common. The criminals are almost never alone, they typically wear clothing of trusted offices, and they are always armed. Looks to us like organized crimes, and Police agree that these patterns are no coincidence. Their concern is that that the wave of robberies may spill out into the districts...
ASP Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Belize City
"Based on the robbery report that the MoneyGram in Ladyville that occurred on Monday, police since arrested and charged a male person by the name of Giovannie Augustine for the crime of robbery. We know that there have been several robberies in Belize City where police have captured persons involved. However, the business owners are reluctant to come in and give a statement."
"We know that this guy is part of a group that is plaguing us around Belize City. So we are asking and encouraging these business owners to please come up front so that we can deal with the persons that we know who are committing these robberies."
"Which is a very challenging issue, because we have been noticing that they have been using police uniforms, security guard uniforms, they he now disguise themselves as a students and that is the opportunity they are taking, because the public are not aware or do not know them. But somebody has to be alert to notice their movements, because they come in 2-3 and you can clearly see when they start to walk between the businesses. When one person enter your business and he just looking around and not grabbing anything to buy, then that is where you have to be alert and notice that they are not to do anything good. We know that these are the same 2 groups that we have in Belize City that go out district and do the robberies."
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