A weekend crime wave has shaken multiple communities across Belize, culminating in the detention of two suspects from Cayo District. The most prominent incident involved the robbery of two American tourists on Burns Avenue in San Ignacio late Friday evening.
Surveillance footage captured the moment of the assault, which occurred shortly after 11:00 PM. The recording shows one assailant, clad in a black hoodie, specifically targeting the victims as they walked. The women have been identified as 27-year-old Californians Halee Hackett and Emerald Estadrook.
The perpetrator made off with a bag containing high-value items, including a smartphone worth approximately $1,200 BZD, an undisclosed amount of cash, multiple bank cards, and the tourists’ passports. Law enforcement officials successfully tracked the phone’s signal, leading to its recovery from a drainage conduit on West Street.
This event was not isolated. The weekend witnessed a series of criminal activities, including a fatal confrontation during an attempted supermarket robbery in Santa Elena. In that incident, suspect Zeldon Thompson was fatally shot by the store owner. Additionally, Belize City reported an armed robbery attempt where two men on a motorcycle targeted a delivery worker.
Authorities note a troubling pattern, with approximately ten robberies recorded since the beginning of December. In response, police are urging citizens and visitors alike to adopt heightened preventative measures and immediately report any suspicious behavior to aid ongoing investigations.