Last night we showed you how a trio of armed men robbed the security guard at Doony’s Store of his weapon. Today another armed security guard was targeted, this one at the Atlantic Bank Collet Branch. But the gun thieves got a most un-expected come-uppance. Here’s more from the scene.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
The usually very busy Cemetery Road was shut down between 2:30 and 3:30 this afternoon as the police scenes of crime team picked up bullets from a daring armed robbery at the Atlantic Bank Branch. But the criminals weren’t looking to rob the bank, they wanted the security guard’s gun.
Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
“A security guard was standing on the front veranda to the main entrance of the bank located here as the corner of Magazine and Cemetery Roads when he was approached by a female inquiring what time the bank would close. At this time a dark complexioned male person approached him with a firearm, pointed it at him, and demanded that he hand over his weapon. Instead of cooperating with them, he hit away the weapon and a struggle ensued between him and the assailant. At this time a second assailant joined in and they managed to overpower him from off the veranda to the main pavement where his weapon fell to the ground. One of them picked it up and they ran off.”
They ran here unto Magazine Road where as the crime scene evidence of more
bullets, blood and a pair of abandoned slippers - shows they got a most unexpected surprise.
Fitzroy Yearwood,
“A second security guard from inside the bank came out. He noticed what was happening and he opened fire. When they ran around the lane one of them was already hit but they ran into a police patrol which was coming into the area at the same time.”
Police apprehended them both – one is at the hospital with an injury to his arm and the other is in custody. The markers show 9 bullet marks but only two rounds were fired – the rest were live rounds that fell form the criminal’s weapon which may have had a malfunction. A tidy and satisfying ending but indicative of a worrying trend nonetheless.
Jules Vasquez,
“This has the appearance of a copycat incident from yesterday’s Doony’s robbery. Are you all concerned that this is a trend to jack security guards of their weapons?”
Fitzroy Yearwood,
“Well from yesterday’s incident we met this morning, I spoke with Mr. Blackett, and we were sharing notes and we realized that yesterday’s
robbery was a robbery to reinforce arms, not just to rob Doony’s but to gather another firearm, probably for a bigger crime. So now we have investigators looking into the possibility that both crimes were related were probably they wanted that weapon to do this bigger crime today.”
So are armed security guards safer or just add an element of danger?
Jules Vasquez,
“Are there sufficient standards being enforced to ensure that these gentlemen don’t just have a license for a gun but that they know how to protect a gun?”
Fitzroy Yearwood,
“If you realize Jules, today’s attempted bank robbery, they came to trained security officer. These banks and credit unions try their best to get ex-BDF and Police Officers, people with military background, people who know to handle a firearm, people who know procedures, what could be done if you are under attack with a firearm. While I cannot say the same for the other little firms with the turnover ratio because the other firms, not to put them down or anything but they are employment ethnicity is not too much Belizean based and then we do not get the Belizean military background.”
Jules Vasquez,
“So is this something that will have to be revisited because clearly these people are targeted by persons seeking weapons?”
Fitzroy Yearwood,
“Well guaranteed it will be revisited. As a matter of fact we had meetings to discuss this. When you have inferior security guarding your business place all you’re doing is contributing to crime. We have enough ex-BDF and ex-Police, people who reach retirement age. BDF retirement age is 45 if I am correct and police it is 55. We have enough retired ex-police and BDF that you can give them some follow up training and bring them to be your security officers.”
Jules Vasquez,
“But right now there are potentially scores of security guards who are targets of roving criminals looking for weapons, at this week, next week – this continues to be a problem. How do you address it in the immediate short term?”
Fitzroy Yearwood,
“Well we have on stream our business watch program. On the police part we are trying to have the security guards more vigilant.”
And while two men have been detained – two others are at large. That’s the young lady who distracted the security guard and one more man who accompanied the crew. We’ll keep track of the pair who were caught today and let you know when they go to court. As for security guards and guns, according to police regulations all those who handle weapons must have training in weapons handling.
