A taxi driver is dead, a Honduran man is in custody, two armed fugitives are on the run, and the Stann Creek Valley is in shock tonight after a daring bank robbery and shoot-out.
Police say that just before mid-day three armed men wearing masks and brandishing guns stormed into the Pomona Branch of the Alliance Bank and held up bank personnel. After the robbery, the men reportedly exited the bank and fled in a taxi owned by Carlos Quintero of Sarawee village. We are told bank security guards chased the taxi and they were later joined in the pursuit by police officers. Police say during the chase a violent exchange of gunfire ensued as the robbers fled in the direction of the coastal road. They eventually abandoned their escape in the cab and police caught up with one of the suspects. His other two accomplices fled it appears on foot. Police then returned to the getaway car, the taxi, where they found the body of Carlos Quintero in the driver's seat he had been shot to death. The suspect who has been identified as being of Honduran descent is in police custody. Police say they believe the other two are probably heading towards the border. Police add that they believe they have recovered all of the stolen money. One suspect has been detained; he is a Honduran with a Belize City address.