Many times over the years, we've reported on thieves impersonating police going to the homes of unsuspecting members ion the public to rob them. 

These smooth-talking criminals make up all kinds of believable excuses for wanting to enter, such as wanting to conduct a search for drugs or illegal weapons. Once the civilian grants them access to his or her home, the men then pounce, hold up the victim, and then ransack the house for valuables.

That's exactly what happened to Cayo Mayor Earl Trapp and his wife, Cladeth, last night at their home in San Ignacio. At around 9:45, Several men, dressed in full camouflage military type outfits, went to the Mayor's home and begged for something to drink.

The Mayor opened his door - not knowing what awaited him.

Today he told us his story as a warning to the public, to be careful of thieves pretending to police. Daniel Ortiz has that story:

Bumps and bruises like these ones are, very, fortunately, the only injuries that Mayor Earl Trapp suffered during last night's ordeal. But, it could have been much worse. He and his wife could have been shot, or worse: murdered, when men wearing camouflage outfits, pretending to be police officers, forced their way into the Mayor’s home here on the outskirts of San Ignacio Town.

Daniel Ortiz
"It must have gone through your mind that your wife's life and yours might be in danger and that there men could kill you."

Mayor Earl Trapp - Home Invasion Victim
"Well yes, it went through my mind and hence the reason I said to myself, if they will bound my hands and my feet and take me out and shoot me elsewhere, its best they shoot me here and that's the reason why I fought them."

Like any other law-abiding citizen, the Mayor and his wife thought that these thieves were genuine law enforcement officers.

Mayor Earl Trapp
"First I will start by what my wife said. She said that she heard someone knocking on the door and so she thought it was my little son. When she called my son's name, they guy knocked again on the door. They guy failed to answer to she turn on the lights outside. When she peeped through the window, she saw 3 men dressed in camouflage uniform and hats. So she said sir can I help you, he said I need to speak to your husband we're just on routine patrol he said and she said but my husband is asleep, can you please wake him up I need to talk to him. So my wife went inside, woke me up about minutes to 10, I was already asleep. She said babe some police are outside wanting to see you. I said police? So I got up and I put on a shirt and when I came out I thought they were outside but when I realized they were right in front of this door. So I said yes sir can I help you, he said Mr. Mayor we are on a routine patrol but we are a little tired, do you have something you can help us with. So I felt comfortable and said okay, I opened the door and said what is it you needed sir and when I opened the door, they barge in. When they barge in on me, they try to hold up my hands and said you are under arrest. When they said you are under arrest, I said arrest for what? And a struggle ensued."

The Mayor and his wife realized that these men were criminals when they tried to breach the house’s entrance:

Mayor Earl Trapp
"When I realized that it was something bogus, it was when they said you are under arrest, I said arrest for what and when I saw the duct tape then it was the worse I thought, this is something bogus and a struggle ensued and 2 of them tackled me, they brought me down but we exchange blows and why I was on the ground I was able to hit a couple of them with my feet, they kicked me, we exchanged blows and this continued for almost 4 to 5 minutes when the guy with the gun that was holding the gun at my wife's head, he realized I will not stop yelling and asking for help, screaming for help. I was screaming help, help, help but no one came and I said I will just continue. When I realized like I said, it was to bound my hands and my feet, I said no, if you will try to tie me up and take me out from here its best you shoot me, that came through my mind and that's the reason why I fought."

Perhaps mercifully, these home invaders were there only to rob the Mayor and his wife, not to seriously harm them

Mayor Earl Trapp
"The guy that had the gun at my wife's head said miss where is the money, she said we don't have money here, which money you talking about. He said miss I will shoot, she said well I don't have any money and he then went into my room, he picked up a vault that I had in there and he stepped out and said to the guys let's go and that's how they left me and they got into the vehicle and sped off."

Reporter
"What was in the safe?"

Mayor Earl Trapp
"What I use, luckily I just took out my passport yesterday and my wife's one, we have intentions to travel and I went to renew mine and I had about 3 thousand US and about a thousand Belize in it."

That simple act of knowing exactly where to go to get this vault leads the Mayor to think that the criminals had inside knowledge of his home’s layout.

Mayor Earl Trapp
"I think it was if you want to call it an inside job. Someone that knows my house, that probably orchestrated this attack."

Reporter
"Because one of the robbers went directly into your room?"

Mayor Earl Trapp
"Yes indeed. So that's what makes me believe it was orchestrated. From the time they came in through that gate, it's because someone had already spoken to them as how they can get to my door. You know because even so, I have 4 dogs and if you want to come in my gate and you don't know the dog, the dog doesn't know you, he will bark at you. So I believe that the sensitized people that attack me, knows how to approach the dogs and that's how they came in because my wife never heard when the door latch opened or closed, we normally hear it when it opens or close outside."

The mayor hopes that his ordeal will be taken as a learning experience by the general public that robbers are now frequently impersonating police. He says when in doubt; call the police before opening your door.

Mayor Earl Trapp
"We’re the ones that suffered, so you the general public take this as a learning experience and if something like this should come to your door, take caution. You might see some people impersonating to be a police officer in camouflage uniform. If they come knocking at your door, never open your door. The best for you to do, is call the police, don't take chances."

And the Mayor says that this experience will cause him to approach his personal security with caution. This incident means that his constituents will not be able to approach him at his home anymore.

Daniel Ortiz
"You’re an elected politician, meeting people and trusting that people have good intentions come with the job. How do you reconcile that with the fact that these people abused your kindness to gain entry to your house?"

Mayor Earl Trapp
"Good question and like what I said to my wife, it is really sad but it's just the reality of it now. The good will have to suffer for the bad. Now in cases of emergencies, I'm sorry but once I'm in my house, I will not let anyone in, I will not go out, it has to be next day 8 o'clock at the office. So that's just the new protocol."

The Mayor made a police report and visited a doctor for his bruises.

He said that he will return to work tomorrow, and in a few day's time, he and his wife will be traveling, at which time, they will use the opportunity to try and recover from the trauma of last night's home invasion.