Belmopan and Dangriga police have busted wide open the case of a gang of cross-district thieves who over two months plotted and executed six burglaries of prominent homes and businesses in the Belmopan area, making off with well over $40,000 in stolen loot.
The suspects are brothers: Ian and Eaton Carr, sisters: Louise and Ethel Palacio, and Abraham Ponce. All 5 live in Dangriga but police say at night the three men would travel to Belmopan and loot houses and businesses and then early in the morning they would travel back to Dangriga with the stolen merchandise.
They first hit a residence in the cohune walk area back in September when they raided pieces of jewelry from a home. Their next target was the home of Maya activist Valentino Shal where they made off with a laptop and a bicycle among other things. Police say the thieves also raided the home of Foreign Affairs Minister Godfrey Smith from which more than $3,000 in jewelry and watches were stolen. Shal's stolen bike was found on that crime scene linking the two crimes. Over the burglary spree the gang of thieves hit the Cardinal Store for clothes, the Small Farmers and Business Bank for a gun and cash, and the BEL-IPO office for equipment. All told, police investigators say the gang made off with over 40 thousand dollars in cash, jewelry, and other valuables.
The spree came to an end during a pre-dawn operation in Dangriga on Saturday when all 5 were arrested. The two females who have common-law relations with two of the burglars were charged because they were found in possession of some of the jewelry and other valuables.
All 5 were arraigned in the Belmopan Magistrate's Court this morning for burglary and handling stolen goods. In court 28 year old Abraham Ponce pleaded guilty to the burglary of Godfrey Smith's house and he was sentenced to 7 years for the theft and another 7 for handling the stolen goods. The other 4 are due back in court November 30th. But before they head to Hattieville, all 5 will appear in the Dangriga magistrate's court tomorrow to face charges for the handling of stolen goods, the goods being the property found at their homes in Dangriga.
In a very disturbing footnote, the criminals reportedly confessed to police that they had a list of houses in Belmopan targeted. Also, Ponce is the son of Minister Smith's maid.