On Wednesday Ladyville police got a big break in the Santana home invasion case when investigations led them to the pickup truck that was used to take several robbers to a home on the Santana-Corozalito road around two fifteen on Saturday morning.
The armed men held up and tied the young mother to a post inside the house, stole money and valuables and then kidnapped the woman’s two young children. The boys were later found alive and well about a mile and half away from their residence.
Today authorities say it was a red Toyota pickup truck that took two well-known Belize City criminals and a seventeen year old to the location where they committed the crime.
According to the officer in charge of Ladyville Crimes Investigation, Corporal Samuel Bonilla they were able to match a piece of molding found at the scene as a part missing from the vehicle.
Cpl. Bonilla says they have brought charges against one person who is now in custody and have issued a warrant for the arrest of two others, Herbert Velasquez and Ernest
Hinds.
Jacqueline Godwin, 7News
“Did they specifically set out to rob this family?”
Cpl. Samuel Bonilla - O.C Crimes Investigation, Ladyville
“The motive behind the whole incident is robbery.
Everybody believe that they may have been acquainted with this family and that is why they were targeted."
Jacqueline Godwin, 7News
“They knew that money would have been in the house?”
Cpl. Samuel Bonilla - O.C Crimes Investigation, Ladyville
“Investigations so far prove that yes a couple of these assailants, the persons who committed the crime, have a personal connection with the virtual complainant’s husband that is the reason why they knew what time they could have been able to go and commit the crime.”
Jacqueline Godwin, 7News
“The person that you suspect committed this crime and the one that will be charged for it, are they known to the police? Can you tell us a bit about them?”
Cpl. Samuel Bonilla - O.C Crimes Investigation, Ladyville
“Both of these persons are do known to the police. Herbert Velasquez is a well known person to the police he is alias “Kid“ and Ernest Hinds whose alias is “Snapper“ he is well known to the police.”
Jacqueline Godwin, 7News
“The person you have in custody, the person who will be charged what is he telling the police? Was this something that they have been planning for a while?”
Cpl. Samuel Bonilla - O.C Crimes Investigation, Ladyville
“He has not said anything eh ahs chosen to remain silent but we do believe from the evidence that we have gathered so far we have enough evidence to get a conviction in a court of law.”
Jacqueline Godwin, 7News
“Any of the money has been recovered, any of the items?
Cpl. Samuel Bonilla - O.C Crimes Investigation, Ladyville
“Nothing has been recovered so far but investigations continue to see if we can recover any of the items along with the cash that was stolen.”
“Incidents do occur but when incidents like these occur it is time for us as Belizean people to come together and give information to the police so we can get this crime solved and this is one instance that we can say that by the help of the Belizean people, the society, John Public, that we do have an arrest and we are sure that we can get a conviction in a court of law.”
The seventeen year old minor has been charged with Aggravated Assault and will be arraigned tomorrow – and as he noted a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Kid Velasquez and Ernest Hinds.
