It's one of the most popular boledo stores and wholesale outlets in the city, but on Sunday morning, Brad's on Vernon Street became the target of a daring teenaged armed robber who held up the owner, Kim Chee in his home above the store and cleaned him out for a total of $19,000 in Belize and U.S. currency, a pistol, various immigration documents and an SUV. The Officer in Charge of the Crimes Investigation Branch, Chester Williams told us what happened at Brad's early on Sunday morning.
ASP Chester Williams, CIB Commander
"Yesterday morning just after 2 am we received information of an aggravated burglar at Brad's Store situated on Vernon Street. Quick police response to that information led to detention of one person yesterday sometime around 9 who was arrested with a firearm which was stolen from Mr. Brad's and also a quantity of money. Yesterday from the person we detained we recovered just above US$4,000 US and just about BZ$800."
Keith Swift,
We understand the victims were tied up with duct tape?
ASP Chester Williams,
"The information we received from the victims is that the persons entered the residence and they were tied up with duct tape after which the persons went through the house and stole there from a large sum of money and a firearm and assorted jewelry. We have recovered the firearm, some of the money, and also we have recovered the jewelry and a cellular phone. The culprit of this crime stole from the residence of this crime a chest in which this money was kept. We have also recovered that chest."
Keith Swift,
They took the chest from the house?
ASP Chester Williams,
"Yes they did."
Keith Swift,
What size is this chest relatively speaking?
ASP Chester Williams,
"Not a big chest, a very small chest."
Police believe 18-year-old Sherwin Locke is responsible. He is a student of SJC Extension and he has been charged for aggravated burglary, handling stolen goods, possession of unlicensed ammunition and keeping an unlicensed firearm.
How police caught him is a story unto itself. Yesterday morning at 9:30, acting on a tip they had received, a policeman went to the Magistrate's Court of all places and searched Sherwin Locke. Locke protested loudly, but police found a cell phone, a thick roll of thousands of dollars in cash, mostly in U.S. currency, and a small revolver just like the one stolen from Brads.
Locke it turns out is no stranger to the law, he recently got bail from the Supreme Court after being remanded a month ago for discharging a firearm in public near a police station. This morning, he was represented by Lutchman Sooknandan where he pleaded not guilty to the Brad's charges. Because it is a firearm offence, he has been remanded to prison.
