Security Guard Killed in San Pedro
It's the most popular tourist destination in Belize but, it is still in Belize, and San Pedro's prime tourism status gives it no ease from the wave of violent crimes sweeping across the country. Still, tonight the residents and visitors in San Pedro are in stunned disbelief after a security guard was killed at a prominent establishment in the center of town.
Popular restaurant and entertainment center, Fido's located on Barrier Reef Drive was the scene of the vicious homicide of 50 year old Antonio Almendarez. Alfonso Noble found out that the security guard was killed for a few thousand dollars.
Alfonso Noble Reporting, [
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Fido's Entertainment Director Tony Brown and other employees looked on and wept in disbelief and grief this afternoon as the body of 50 year old Antonio Almendarez was taken out of his place of employment in a body bag. Amidst a throng of onlookers it was carted down the steps of Fido's in downtown San Pedro and placed inside a police pickup truck and transferred to an awaiting boat from where it was taken to Belize City for a post mortem.
Almendarez was the watchman for Fido's and police believe he was killed sometime between 4 and 6 this morning in a robbery. Brown says he saw Almendarez at around 12:30 last night when he helped him to lock up the place.
Tony Brown, Entertainment Director - Fido's
"I came here at midnight last night to bring the keys so he can lock up and then I left and then I got a call that he's dead. Last night 3:30 in the morning I had a dream about my mom dying and I wake up and I don't know what's going on. Then I came here at 6:45 this morning and found out this happened. I closed the place with him last night."
Thereafter Almendarez was seen talking to another watchman at around 3:45 this morning on the beach. That is the last time he was seen alive.
Police believe robbers caught Almendarez inside the establishment and bashed him to the right side of the head with a crowbar. They then placed a cloth inside his mouth and taped it. His handcuff was used to secure his hands at his back and he was made to lie face down on the ground where he died either of asphyxia or from the blow to the head. Thereafter the men made their way to the upper flat of the building where they pried open a safe and made off with a cash pan that was inside the safe.
Police believe the robbers made off with US$6,000 in 50's and 100's and about BZ$2,000. Today everyone on the island was totally shocked at the events of this morning.
Tony Brown,
"Usually its all good. Nobody ever messes with this because he says hello to everybody and he's just a normal person and then they just came at him. We don't expect this."
And while a killing was totally unexpected businessmen on the island say that crime has escalated over the past couple of years. Just this year alone businesses have been the prime target for burglaries.
Tony Brown,
"You see all these robberies going on in San Pedro right now? All these craziness going on here and there is not one police patrol. Not one on this main street with all these businesses. These officers are supposed to protect us, that's there job and there was not one on the street with all these robberies. It is not even safe for the people. They robbed the post office, they robbed this place, they robbed the place next door the night before. They should patrols on the main street where the economy is coming from. They should protect the businesses because its not people they have to protect because there are no people on the streets, they have to protect the businesses. How can you rob a post office? You know what I am saying. In the United States how can you rob a post office?"
Tony Bono, Businessman
"When I came here in 1998 everyone one of these docks where the water taxis come and go and at the airport, you saw a police presence. You would see them shaking people down. There was a police presence. Man I could go anywhere on this island, that's why me and my wife moved here. In this last year you do not see a policeman, you don't see them. They don't walk the beach, they don't check people coming on and off these docks. At night there are 2 or 3 on duty when there should be more on duty at night than during the day. I've been burglarized five times since I've been here. I've caught the thieves twice and they didn't do a day. I never got anything back, no reparations - no nothing."
Now that feeling of helplessness has at least one businessman looking at his options.
Tony Bono,
"I am going to go to Belmopan, as a policeman suggested to me, because we own apartments, we own a bar, and I'm going to get permitted for a gun now. It's gotten so bad that they stop golf carts down south to rob people. Anybody tries to rob me I'm going to take care of them. Anybody touches my wife I'm going to take care of them and here's why, and this is documented here, look at an old man beaten to death. They robbed the Co-op three days after lobster season opened. How do you rob a post office? Alright. I mean there's no police presence. There has got to be policemen on the street at night walking around, not all in the police station."
Tony Brown,
"These babies on the beach right now, they see the yellow lines and everything but what are you going to tell them? Somebody came and killed the man? I am not going to tell no baby that. Somebody came and killed a man unarmed and they are supposed to feel safe about the future of their country?"
The yellow tape that ran across the usually peaceful beaches of San Pedro gives him the answer and that is that maybe why San Pedro may still be La Isla Bonita but in these days, beauty is tainted by the appearance of crime's ugly under belly.
Police have picked up a pair of suspects in connection with this crime. They are two young men accused of robbing the town board of its safe less than two weeks ago. They had been remanded because they could not meet the $10,000 bail, but when they re-applied to court, against the police prosecutor's objection, the bail was lowered and they were released pending trial. Now, as the investigations progress, they may face charges again.