A prominent Belize City attorney is pushing to get a dangerous loose weapon off the streets of Belize after law enforcement failed to follow up on a clear lead, in a case that shines a light on gaps in local police work.
Audrey Matura, a legal professional based in the nation’s Belize District, is putting up $2,000 in cold cash for the anonymous return of her legally registered firearm, which was stolen from her private residence during a burglary more than a year ago. The theft was carried out by Prince Copious, a handyman Matura had hired to conduct routine maintenance work at her home. When Matura left the country to spend the Easter holiday away from Belize City, Copious broke into her unoccupied property and made off with multiple valuables: the licensed gun, a collection of personal jewelry, her son’s school bag, and a private set of knives owned by the young man.
Copious was eventually caught and prosecuted for the break-in. He pleaded guilty to the burglary charges and was sentenced to 10 months of incarceration, but none of the stolen property—including the weapon—has ever been recovered by authorities.
After law enforcement failed to track the firearm, Matura launched her own investigation into where the gun could be. From conversations with Copious, she learned that after stealing the weapon, he transported it to Belmopan and handed it over to an individual known only by the first name “Will.” Matura turned this critical tip over to the Belize Police Department, but she says the lead has never been properly pursued.
Speaking to local outlet News 5, Matura questioned why police have not prioritized recovering the unregistered loose weapon, suggesting understaffing and overwork may be to blame for the inaction. “I don’t know if they [police] don’t see the importance of tracking every weapon,” she said. “I guess they’re overworked.”
For Matura, the greatest risk is that the stolen gun remains circulating in public, unaccounted for. “My main concern with the gun is that it is still out there,” she explained. “From my end, I would want to get it off the street. I feel terrible about that. I feel that as a citizen, it was my responsibility to protect that even more. And I would hate to think that that gun is used to hurt other people, to damage and steal from other people.”
To remove this public safety threat, Matura has announced the $2,000 reward, with a guarantee that anyone with information or possession of the firearm can return it without any legal repercussions or requirement to reveal their identity. “I am offering a reward of $2,000, no questions asked, for the return,” Matura restated. “Return it however you want, and you get paid cash up front, no questions asked. My main thing is to get it off the street and back into the proper system.”
All other stolen items from the 2025 burglary remain missing, but Matura has made clear that recovering the loaded firearm is her only urgent priority as she works to address the public safety hazard created by police inaction.