In the middle of the morning and in the middle of town armed gunmen pulled off a $28,000 heist from the Bottom Dollar Store on North Front Street this morning. Around 10 am employees were heading to deposit the store's receipts from Friday and Saturday when one man, wearing no mask but with a gun ambushed them. CEO Santino Castillo says protocol was breached and police are investigating the possible involvement of Bottom Dollar employees.
Santino Castillo, CEO - Santiago Castillo Group
"The Bottom Dollar pickup was parked outside the store. There was a blue tinted vehicle behind it. The three employees that make deposits came out to get into the truck and right as they were doing that, they were accosted by gunmen who put guns to their heads. They handed over the deposit, which we've told them to do in such cases, not to jeopardize their lives, and the gunmen sped off with the deposit. The license plate of the vehicle was gotten but obviously as happens in most cases, it doesn't match the said vehicle."
Keith Swift,
You believe they had help from the inside?
Santino Castillo,
"Well the police is leaning in that direction simply because our deposit protocol, procedure for deposit, was broken this morning. We have a way we do it and for the first time that was broken; never is the van outside and people walk into it on the street side. That procedure wasn't followed this morning and it is just very coincidental that the day it wasn't followed, somebody was out there waiting at that very moment because we also don't have a regular time to do our deposits."
Keith Swift,
Any idea how much was stolen? Police are throwing around a figure of $20,000+
Santino Castillo,
"That is correct. At this point in time I will just say that the figures that have been given to the news, which wasn't given by me, as usual, it is pretty accurate.
It doesn't affect anything, we have to be more careful. Santiago Castillo Limited, as most big companies, are insured. But of course there is the deductible you have to pay along with that.
But the most important thing Keith is our employees and the safety for our employees. Belize is just getting more and more dangerous and we just have to take more precautions; put in alarm systems, put in cameras if we have to."
Castillo says there is no set time when deposits are made. He adds that the sales from Friday should have been deposited on Saturday. And while police investigate, they are still shocked by the brazen crime. As we mentioned it occurred in the center of town just feet away from the Swing Bridge and a block away from the hub of the Eastern Division Police Command on Queen Street. Assistant Superintendent of Police Chester Williams commented on it.
ASP Chester Williams,
"When you look at it, it is not too far away from the police station. It shows indeed yes that the criminals are getting facey but we will find a way to get around that and I can assure you that we will do our best on this one as we have done on many in the past to try and see how quick and how best we can bring this to a close."
Jules Vasquez,
Are you confident that you maybe seeing some arrests in this case?
ASP Chester Williams,
"As an investigator Jules, and I am the chief investigator in Belize City, I am always confident about my investigators and myself, and likewise the community who feeds us with information on a daily basis. So I am very optimistic that we will make an arrest in this case."
