100 blank passports went missing in mid September, and tonight, 95 have been recovered. The passports were stolen from a locked vault and were discovered missing two weeks ago. After an investigation that included the detention of the Immigration Department's finance officer and her deputy, last night police got a tip which led to the recovery of 95 of the passports in Cayo. So who did it, and how did they get the key to the vault? Keith Swift picks up the story in Belmopan.
Keith Swift Reporting,
These are the 95 stolen Belizean passports which police recovered last night at a residence in San Ignacio town. All ninety five were neatly stacked inside this lunch bag which was hidden inside a bedroom. Senior Superintendent James Magdaleno is heading the investigation.
Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno, N.C.I.B.
"We went to that location at a house on corner West Street and Second Street in San Ignacio. We presented our search warrant. It was shown to the occupants of the building and we were allowed to search. At the lower flat of the building there is a single room that was occupied by the person that's is wanted at this time. He was not there but the owner of the building was there and we were allowed access to the lower flat, hence the reason we commenced our search. Within the confines of the room there was a valise that was in a corner and within that valise there was this blue bag. It was padlocked. We had to break the lock and when we searched the bag, those passports that are displayed here in front of us today were inside that said bag inside that room."
Police immediately detained two persons - one of whom is an employee at the Immigration Department in Belmopan.
Edwardo Wade, Assistant Commissioner of Police
"Police have detained two persons in connection with this investigation and is seeking the assistance of a third person who may be able to assist us further with this matter. The investigation is very fluid at this time and we continue to press on in trying to recover and make arrests in this matter."
And two suspects being detained is just about all police are willing to say about last night's recovery. This afternoon Assistant Commissioner of Police Edwardo Wade admitted there are more questions than answers.
Edwardo Wade,
"We are working on that at this time. Definitely that is very important
to us as to how those passports came out of that office and who is actually responsible for taking them out. One of the detainees is an employee at the Immigration Department."
Keith Swift,
How did they get a key?
Edwardo Wade,
"I don't know anything about keys. I cannot say anything about the key."
Keith Swift,
Did the safe show any sign of forced entry or was it opened with the key?
Edwardo Wade,
"I cannot say. All I can say is that there is no sign of forced entry on the safe or on the building proper."
Wade did confirm that the Immigration Department's finance officer and her deputy have been released but they haven't been cleared.
Edwardo Wade,
"Those persons have been released."
Keith Swift,
Are they still suspects?
Edwardo Wade,
"I would not want to say they are suspects but they are the subjects of investigations nonetheless."
But investigators say that the person at the center of their investigation is an unnamed third suspect. Police didn't disclose the suspect's alleged association in the theft or if he has the missing five passports but this afternoon Sr. Superintendent Magdaleno made it clear that time is running out on the suspect.
Edwardo Wade,
"The third person is a resident of San Ignacio. I understand that he is a relative of the person that is detained here now."
Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno,
"If he doesn't show up, if he doesn't present himself to us, then we will put out a bulletin with his full particulars. We spoke to them since yesterday, this morning, to have him brought in. If he does not show by a reasonable time then we will go with the bulletin for him."
Keith Swift,
What do you think his role was?
Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno,
"His role? That is what we want to know. If we get him, that is what we want to know. So we can't know what is his role if we don't arrest him."
As for the five outstanding passports, Wade believes they are still out there and like the 95 they recovered - he believes they are unusable.
Edwardo Wade,
"The five passports that are still missing carry serial numbers P0043801 to 805. The police is seeking the assistance of the general public who may have information in assisting us to recover these five passports that are still missing. These passports are machine readable passports, the ones we are now talking about and I do not believe that they can be of any use to anybody without going through or passing through the system by which they are processed."
Again those two suspects are still detained. 7NEWS is informed that one of the suspects may be a person who has access to the machines which print the passports - so if he had blank ones....well the possibilities are endless.
