Dangriga police, laudably, offer free escort services to the bank, but Hong Mai Chen did not ask for it

A Chinese business woman, Hong Mai Chen, 39, a nationalized Belizean, owner and manager of the Grigalizean Supermarket on George Price Drive, Dangriga, was attacked and robbed while she was going to the bank to deposit her money, and the thieves got away with about $65,000.

Mai Chen told police that at about 9:30 a.m. yesterday, she was going to the Belize Bank to make a deposit. She had pulled up on Oak Street just a short distance from the bank, and as she was getting out of her vehicle, two men approached and attacked her.

One of the men punched her in her face and the other beat her on the shoulder, causing her to almost lose consciousness. One of the robbers then grabbed her money bag off her shoulder.

She tried to struggle, but one of the men beat her in the back of her head, and she fell down. The two thieves then ran away with her money bag.

Police came quickly and searched the area, but the thieves were nowhere to be found. Police are now looking for two persons known to them.

Amandala was told today of an initiative by Dangriga police, that a service is in place which offers a police escort to the bank, and it is free of cost.

The service is an initiative of Senior Superintendent Robert Mariano and the Dangriga police to better serve the community.

Mariano said that all that is required is the request from the business people for the escort. They come to the station, make the request, take the policemen with them. He said that the service has been operating for some time now, and many business people are benefitting from the service.

He said that they did not get a request from Mai Chen for police to escort her to the bank.

Mariano urges the business community in Dangriga to use the service for their safety, especially in this upcoming Christmas season, when robberies are expected to increase.