On Friday we told you about a devastating burglary at Sadie Vernon High School. 96 government donated tablets gone in a flash. It's an unconscionable crime, especially at a time like this, when students, already exiled from the classroom, are in desperate need of learning devices.
And over the weekend the cops arrested one woman whom they say they caught red-handed, and they also recovered more than half of the stolen tablets.
This morning head of CIB, Superintendent Alejandro Cowo told us how they'd been strategically stashed.
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB, Belize City
"So far 56 tablets have been recovered and a female by the name of Alina Gabourel was arrested and charged for handling stolen goods."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir now that you know the identity of this person, does this appear to be an inside job?"
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB, Belize City
"Well, it is, we know that they have a security that is working there during the entire night. He was questioned and we suspect that it could have been some inside job as to where exactly these laptops were because we understand that they were recently taken to the school there."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir, how were these tablets packed because they got away with 96 of them?"
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB, Belize City
"They were still originally in the box they came from."
Cherisse Halsall:
"One box?"
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, Head CIB, Belize City
"One box and we, the police camera is showing that a group of male persons exited and they were walking in that area with bags on their hands. We suspect that the tablets were inside of the bags that they were holding when they came out of that place."
"Three were recovered with the female, sixteen were recovered at an abandoned house and 35 more were found within the school. I am appealing to the public that if anybody goes out there trying to sell one of those tablets do not purchase it and instead call the police."
And during her arraignment this morning Alina Gabourel who was unrepresented plead not guilty to the charge of handling stolen goods.
She would have been granted bail with no objections but she was also found to be $3000 in debt to the court for a state of emergency violation to which she pleaded guilty in 2020.
Still, Senior-Magistrate Pitts Anderson granted Gabourel - who is a single mother of two - time to pay her fine. She is due back in court on March 15, 2021.
