Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#434579 04/01/12 09:45 AM
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline
A Shaw bus with more than 30 passengers has been jacked near Hattieville. The robbers fired shots, but no one was hit. The conductor's money was taken.

Marty #434684 04/03/12 08:07 AM
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

Shaw Bus Robbed By Armed Gun Men

Every day, tens of thousands of Belizeans rely on public transport, particularly those who have to work or go to school in one municipality, but live somewhere else. And, on Friday night, a group of those road-weary travelers got a hellish surprise on a westbound Shaw's Bus.

Their bus was held up by armed men - who weren't afraid to use their weapons. Monica Bodden found out more from the conductor:

Monica Bodden reporting
On Friday night this Shaw bus left Belize City around 8:45 en route to San Ignacio Town - but while making their way pass Hattieville, they were held up at gunpoint by two armed robbers. The bus was loaded with passengers, luckily no one was hurt.

Michael Lewis - Bus Conductor
"Friday night we left Belize City at 8:45pm and upon arriving in Bainsville we had 3 passengers who were coming off the bus and other passengers who were coming on the bus. When the 3 passengers came off the bus, the guy who was about to enter the bus was armed with a gun, he point the gun into my face. He had a mask."

"Upon doing that I ran into the isles of the bus and my driver and supervisor followed behind me."

The two robbers entered the bus at mile 18 on the Western Highway, around the Bainsville area just outside of Hattieville. Lewis, who was the conductor, ran down the aisle to the back of the bus- leaving his black purse with money on the bus's dashboard. The gun - which is described as a .38 revolver that one of the robbers used -was also pointed at the driver.

Dean McCoy - Bus Driver
"At that moment while the gun was pointed at the conductor, I was above him, so the gun was directly pointing towards my chest because I pivot this way to see the passengers that are entering. All I can see is a black .38 revolver pointed directly at us. I saw the bullet through the barrel and I did not hesitate. I put my bus in neutral and I try to push backward. I yelled to the passengers 'gun,' everybody got scared.

"I eventually got back in my drivers' seat and see if I can probably hot them with something. But the fired shots while they ran from the bus stop in Bainsville."

Monica Bodden
"So as quickly that they came in with this gun and pointed it and grab what they had to run out the bus."

Dean McCoy - Bus Driver
"Yes ma'am."

Monica Bodden
"So when you guys try to hit them or try to catch up with them that was when they started firing shots?"

Dean McCoy - Bus Driver
"Yes."

Monica Bodden
"About how many shots?"

Dean McCoy - Bus Driver
"Like 2-3 shots."

Inside the bus at the time were about 35 plus passengers - all horrified at what was taking place right in front of their eyes.

Dean McCoy - Bus Driver
"Everybody was terrified. Some of them were screaming, some try to assist but nobody can tell. The gun has no owner, the gun has no sense. I was a bit shock even though I am an ex-police officer myself and so is my conductor. But with my experience I saw the bullet in the barrel and that's when I decided to move."

And for these bus men, Friday night's incident has created many concerns for their own safety as well as the safety of their passengers - especially when it comes to these night runs.

Dean McCoy - Bus Driver
"I am still not that scared. I am still doing the night run. But I will still do my petition out there to the minister who is in charge of gun license because we bus drivers who are at risk, if we have a good record we can get our firearm because we have a lot of people's lives in our hands."

Thomas Shaw - Owner, Shaw Busline
"This is the second time something like this actually took place. It's really getting scary because you are out there at night and you don't really know who to pick up. We are trying to provide a service, you are working hard, but at the end of the day we work and they steal."

Monica Bodden
"Mr. Shaw, you think that the robbers might have had communication with someone who was on the bus to know exactly where to wait for this bus to stop?"

Thomas Shaw - Owner, Shaw Busline
"From the time the bus left Belize I assumed from what I gathered from my conductor that they must have had constant communication to know because Bainsville is not a big village. There are about 3-4 houses on the main, so how would they know that the bus is going to make that exact stop. I think it was a setup and maybe that people who ride every night monitor the moves and it just took place. So I assume that the person that was on board must have been giving them information as to what time the bus is going to get there because by the time the bus stop as I stated - a guy walked in right from there, but he was a bit hesitant to get in. But when he got in there this guy came with this mask around his face and just stepped in and point the .38 at the conductor and the conductor feared for his life. It was the first time on the job. He was on training; he says it was his first experience."

"To avoid the passengers getting hurt he just did what he had to do."

Shaw Bus line told us that they are grateful for the Hattieville Police who responded quickly to the scene. So far one person has been detained for questioning. The conductor's purse was stolen; it constrained about 4 to 5 hundred dollars in cash.

Channel 7


Marty #434685 04/03/12 08:08 AM
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline

Passenger bus held up at gunpoint

It was a terrifying ride on the Western Highway on Friday night for a group of commuters as a passenger bus was held up and robbed at gunpoint. The incident involved a Shaw's Bus that had departed Belize City just before nine o'clock on Friday night enroute to San Ignacio town. The owner of the Bus that was jacked, Andy Shaw, spoke with Love TV's Patrick Jones about the terrifying ordeal.

Shaw says the robbers fired at least two shots after they had gotten off the bus after the robbery. No one was hurt and Shaw says that the bus continued on its journey west.

Shaw told Love News that he would like to step up security on his busses but with the escalating cost of fuel it is a real challenge to keep his passengers and employees safe on the highway

So far, police have not released any information on the armed hold up.



Link Copied to Clipboard
March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Cayo Espanto
Click for Cayo Espanto, and have your own private island
More Links
Click for exciting and adventurous tours of Belize with Katie Valk!
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 306 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums44
Topics79,199
Posts500,011
Members20,460
Most Online7,413
Nov 7th, 2021



AmbergrisCaye.com CayeCaulker.org HELP! Visitor Center Goods & Services San Pedro Town
BelizeSearch.com Message Board Lodging Diving Fishing Things to Do History
BelizeNews.com Maps Phonebook Belize Business Directory
BelizeCards.com Picture of the Day

The opinions and views expressed on this board are the subjective opinions of Ambergris Caye Message Board members
and not of the Ambergris Caye Message Board its affiliates, or its employees.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5