标签： Belize

Authorities have launched a manhunt for an unidentified male suspect connected to the armed robbery of two American tourists and a subsequent escape from police custody. The incident occurred on December 19th when the suspect allegedly accosted the victims on Burns Avenue while brandishing a knife.

According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, the assailant engaged in a physical altercation with the tourists before seizing a purse containing $200 in cash, a cellular device, and various personal identification cards. Law enforcement officials successfully tracked the stolen phone to a specific location where the device was recovered, leading to the initial apprehension of an individual matching the robbery description.

The suspect, who provided identification as Israel Bradley of 16 Requela Street, Santa Elena Town, is now believed to have supplied fraudulent personal information to authorities. During a routine cell block maintenance procedure, the detained individual managed to escape police custody despite being in temporary detention.

ASP Smith has issued a public appeal for information regarding the fugitive’s true identity or current whereabouts while reminding citizens that harboring or concealing wanted individuals constitutes a criminal offense. The investigation remains ongoing as forensic teams examine evidence collected from the recovered property.

In a significant development in San Pedro Town, Belizean authorities have formally charged two local residents with attempted murder following a violent November incident. Thomas Arriola, 31, and Gabrielle Sho, 35, face serious charges related to an attack that culminated in arson.

The incident occurred on the evening of November 17, 2025, at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Laguna Drive. According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, the suspects forcibly entered a commercial establishment where they allegedly assaulted and stabbed Mr. Huang, the victim, before deliberately igniting a fire within the premises to facilitate their escape.

Alert residents reported visible smoke emanating from the building and witnessed an injured Huang exiting the property. Emergency services responded promptly, with police transporting the victim to San Pedro Polyclinic for urgent medical attention while firefighting teams contained and extinguished the blaze.

ASP Smith revealed that investigators determined the arson was intended to destroy forensic evidence. ‘The swift response of fire department personnel proved crucial to evidence preservation,’ Smith stated. ‘Although the perpetrators removed the digital video recorder, the actual surveillance camera remained intact. This allowed investigators to recover vital video footage that directly led to identifying the suspects.’

Law enforcement apprehended Arriola the following day after he attempted to evade capture in mangrove areas of San Pedro Town. Officers arrested Sho at a known frequent location. Meanwhile, Mr. Huang has undergone successful surgery and is currently reported in stable condition according to police statements. The investigation continues as authorities work to establish motive and complete their case.

BELIZE CITY – A 45-year-old man stands formally charged following a targeted shooting incident at a Caye Caulker hotel earlier this month. Jun Ming Zhou faces serious legal consequences for allegedly employing deadly means of harm and wounding another individual.

The incident unfolded on the afternoon of December 15 at approximately 1:15 p.m. at the Enjoy Hotel located on Pasero Street in the island community. According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, investigative findings indicate Zhou arrived at the property brandishing his legally registered firearm before discharging a single round that struck another man, identified as Chen, in the leg.

Emergency medical services transported the wounded individual to a nearby medical facility where physicians subsequently classified the gunshot injury as wounding. Law enforcement personnel successfully apprehended Zhou shortly after the violent encounter.

ASP Smith revealed investigators have established a significant personal connection between the two parties involved. Preliminary evidence suggests the injured male maintains a common-law relationship with Zhou’s former spouse, indicating the shooting may have stemmed from previously existing interpersonal conflicts rather than random violence. The case continues under active investigation as authorities work to determine all contributing factors and potential additional charges.

Northern Belize experienced a concerning surge in armed criminal activities on Saturday as law enforcement authorities launched parallel investigations into two separate robbery incidents across Corozal and Orange Walk Districts.

In the first occurrence, Altamira Area’s Max’s Store became the target of an armed heist approximately at 8:20 p.m. Preliminary police documentation indicates that two unidentified male perpetrators entered the commercial establishment while a 19-year-old Belizean attendant was performing regular customer service duties. The suspects reportedly produced a firearm, directing it toward the cashier while issuing demands for monetary handover. One assailant subsequently vaulted over the counter, procuring an unspecified cash quantity from the register before both individuals escaped on foot through adjacent thoroughfares. Corozal District police have initiated comprehensive evidence gathering and witness interviews.

Concurrently, Orange Walk District witnessed another violent robbery at Belize Western Gas Co. Ltd. situated along the Belize-Corozal Road. The afternoon incident unfolded around 2:30 p.m. when two armed males accosted a 20-year-old cashier and a colleague. Criminal proceedings turned physically violent when one assailant delivered a blunt force trauma to 60-year-old Clemente Rodriguez’s cranial region using their weapon. Meanwhile, the second perpetrator infiltrated the administrative office, seizing an undetermined cash sum before both suspects fled the premises. Medical personnel transported Rodriguez to medical facilities where he remains under observation in stable health condition. Orange Walk police forces are pursuing multiple investigative avenues regarding this aggravated robbery.

A highly anticipated demonstration against proposed motorcycle regulations in Belize City culminated in a disappointing turnout on Sunday, with merely over twenty participants materializing at Memorial Park. The event, orchestrated by prominent critics Jose Luis Uc Espat and Sylvia Waight, was designed to vocally oppose the Ministry of Transport’s new framework, which includes a contentious $300 mandatory training fee and revised licensing protocols for riders.

Despite weeks of vigorous online discourse and public criticism labeling the initiative as an unnecessary financial ‘hustle,’ the physical manifestation of dissent was conspicuously absent. Organizers had anticipated a significant gathering of motorcyclists from across the nation to reject what they perceive as a burdensome and superfluous government mandate.

In a post-event interview with News Five, a visibly disheartened Waight acknowledged the dedication of those who attended while expressing profound disillusionment with the overwhelming number of no-shows. She speculated whether the impending Christmas holiday season and a coinciding government announcement of a GST break might have diverted public attention and participation.

Nevertheless, Waight maintained that the small assembly succeeded in making its symbolic point. The demonstrators concurrently proposed alternative road safety measures that would achieve public welfare objectives without imposing direct costs on the motorcycle community. The event’s poor attendance raises questions about the transition from digital activism to tangible civic engagement, particularly during the festive period.