Tonight, after weeks of reported car thefts in Belize's westernmost town of Benque Viejo, there's news of what many hope to be a solution.
It comes as law enforcement authorities from both sides of the border convened today at the OAS Adjacency Zone Office to plan strategically against a ring of car thieves and chop shop mechanics.
I headed to the Guatemalan border this morning to sit in on at least the start of a bilateral plan of action. Here's more.
It was a strategic trans-border meeting between Belizean and Guatemalan authorities this morning, an emergency session convened in the Adjacency zone's OAS office to discuss ongoing security breaches mainly perpetrated by Guatemalans against Belizeans.
Edward Broaster, Acting Commissioner of Police
"There needs to be more collaboration and coordination amongst the security law enforcement across both sides of the border and that is what we came here today to establish so that we can reduce the number of incidents and the type of incidents that are occurring along the border at this time."
And right about now you might call to mind the previous Minister of Foreign Affairs assertion that borders are artificial.
That's because whether that's true or not the Western border is incredibly porous.
Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir the elephant is the room is the Calla Creek informal border crossing. This is an area where cattle contraband of all types and stolen cars passes through. The cabinet has mandated that it be open for the informal export of cattle. What can be done about that border cross?"
Edward Broaster, Acting Commissioner of Police
"Well, that border crossing is a total different Kettle of fish but what we can do is put our patrols, do joint patrols, simultaneous patrols, along with the civil national police of Guatemala to ensure that criminal activity and violence does not occur along the border."
And while a closed border hasn't stopped an increase in transborder crime. Broaster recalled a not too distant past where conditions were very different.
Edward Broaster, Acting Commissioner of Police
"When I was O.C. in 2000 we used to have great working relationship with Melchor police and communication simultaneous operations and those were effective, so we are here and as you can see we have here the commanders from Benque, San Ignacio and Succotz and if it means to be here to give them some practical diplomacy in terms of building relationships with our counterparts, then that is what we intend to do."
And it's those relationships, an ease of operations with their counterparts that will make all the difference for police. But it's a tall order with multiple access points that serve as playgrounds for outlaws. This morning Broaster had at least one idea to make that large area at least seem a little smaller.
Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir we're hearing about a lot of porosity in this border, could you describe to us some of the back roads, back channels that are open and that really serve as a problem for all these illegal activities on this border."
Edward Broaster, Acting Commissioner of Police
"We have a plan in place to deal with those areas and as a matter of fact I had conversation with members of BECOL to see whether or not we can utilize their channel or secure a channel from their repeater to get residence and businesses in the area to get radios so that they can communicate with the police and I think that will be an effective tool in dealing with some of the illegal activities that are happening in the Arenal and hydro road area."
It appears that in solving this most recent spate of trans-border crime communication will be key. But it won't be a one-time set of instructions. It's a dialogue one that Belize police and their Guatemalan counterparts will have to keep up if they hope to return peace and security to the Western border.
