Last week, the big news was about UDP San Pedro Town Council Candidate Severo Guererro and his unauthorized, after-hours appearance behind the computer at the Town's elections and Boundaries Office.
Well, tonight the news is about another unauthorized appearance at an elections office - except this time - it's an alleged burglar, and police believe he was trying to make off with the office's main computer containing all the new registration information. Around 4:30 on Saturday morning, neighbors informed Dangriga police that someone was burglarizing the Elections and Boundaries office on Tibruce Street in Dangriga. When police got there, they found the front door of the building slightly ajar and as they entered, they saw someone dash into a room. Police say they tried to open the door but claim that the individual locked himself in and refused to open it.
That was when police fired two shots at the door, one of which caught the intruder in the left thigh. He was later identified as 19 year old Daniel Garcia - a man well known to police as a frequent burglary suspect.
Police continued their search around the building and found a shattered interior glass door and several files scattered on the office floor. Also found was a carton box near the front main door, and packed inside was a 16 inch Dell brand lap top computer along with a keyboard and CPU. That computer was used for registration of voters and contained information of all registrations for the past week.
Police investigation revealed that Garcia first attempted to enter through a back door but when he couldn't get pass an interior burglar barred door that was when he went to the front of the building. He used a stone to shatter the front interior glass door and made his way inside.
Today 7news spoke with Chief Elections Officer- Josephine Tamai who told us at this time they are not ruling out anything as yet and are allowing the police to do their investigation.
Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"On Saturday morning a little bit after 5, I was informed of a burglary at the Dangriga office, and I immediately decided to go to the office to see what exactly was happening. Upon my arrival, I saw an interior shutter door; the door had a glass on it. There was a huge stone at the bottom. I proceeded to go inside where I met with Ms. Mildred Martinez who is the registering officer in charge in Dangriga."
"Ms. Martinez informed me that a little bit after 4 that morning she received a call telling her that the office has been broken into, so she immediately went to the office."
"What I found when I reached at the office, upon entering the door, was that a carton box was there on the floor with one of our departments' desktop computers. The CPU and the monitor were in the box. I gathered from Ms. Martinez that the person who was attempting to commit the robbery was caught by the police. Apparently he was shot somewhere in his leg and the police took him away."
"I inspected the building and what I saw, apparently the person was attempting to go through the back door but when he opened the door and he realized that there was a burglar bar inside, so I guess that was when he decided to go through the front door."
"The office was not really ransacked as such. Apart from the carton box with the computer, the staff also had two boxes of corn flakes that they had for their personal use along with one pack ramen noodles and a tin of sausage which she had packed in a little bag that he (the thief) had there. A knife was observed on the floor. The police took those away and I know the police were doing their investigation. I spoke to them and they informed me that the person that they caught is known in the area to commit burglaries. They are not ruling out anything but their investigation is ongoing."
"The computer had information because that was the computer that was used throughout the day to register people - because as you know last Friday was the deadline for registration - and they attempted to take the computer but they were unsuccessful."
"We checked the office thoroughly and nothing was removed; actually the person didn't get an opportunity to take away anything thanks to the good work of the police. They responded in time and caught the person."
Monica Bodden
"Elections are nearing; do you think that this may have been a set up?"
Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"I wouldn't be in a position to say, but like what I said, speaking to the police, they are not ruling out any of the possibilities."
Daniel Garcia was transported to Dangriga's Southern Regional hospital for treatment and is currently under police guard at the hospital. Since the incident, security has been put in place at the Elections and Boundaries office in Dangriga and the department plans to do this countrywide as well.
