BELIZE CITY, Mon. July 1, 2019– Gilbert Craig, 32, a resident of 6423 Fabers Road Extension, was charged with the theft of 155 feet of copper wire, the property of Belize Telemedia Limited, when he appeared today before Magistrate Emerson Banner.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on a bail of $1,500; his case was adjourned until September 5.

The incident occurred on June 27. Police in Hattieville reported that they were informed of a theft that was occurring between Miles 13 and 15 on the George Price Highway. Police said that when they proceeded to the area, they saw a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road, with nobody in it.

Police reported that when they reached between Miles 14 and 15, they saw a man wearing an orange visibility vest standing beside a lamp post, and they assumed that he was a utility worker. Police said they then went back to where the vehicle was parked, and searched it, but they did not find anything incriminating.

Police then went back to where they had seen the man. The man, said the police, was holding a ladder and he had a wire cutter, a hacksaw blade and some strips of copper wire beside him. They said that when they asked the man where the other workers were, he told them that the other workers had gone to buy food.

But when police checked at Belize Telemedia Limited, they were told that none of their employees were working in the area.

Police said they made further checks in the area and found that Craig had stolen 155 feet of copper wire, which has a value of $832.35. As a result, Craig was arrested and charged.