by Charles Gladden
ORANGE WALK, Mon. Nov. 27, 2023
A Belize Defence Force (BDF) soldier has been formally arrested and charged for a robbery that occurred in northern Belize last Wednesday, November 22.
According to police, at about 2:30 p.m. last Wednesday in Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District, Oscar Blanco, 29, a Belizean driver, was driving a Freightliner truck in the company of two other passengers – Gian Matu, 30, a Belizean supervisor, and Hector Medina, 21, – and as they approached a pedestrian bump, a white Toyota Camry overtook the truck and parked in front of them, which caused them to halt.
Three male persons then exited the vehicle, one of whom was armed with a firearm while the other two carried knives. The trio then approached the truck and proceeded to open the passenger side and demanded money.
The three robbers then stole the company bag containing checks, which are the property of Triple-A Imports and Gia Matu, after which they escaped.
It was announced by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander of the Belize Police Department’s Eastern Division, that a BDF soldier, identified as Alexander Reynolds, 25, has been charged for the robbery.
ASP Romero further mentioned that Reynolds was the only person from the group to have been charged with the crime. Amandala reached out to Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff at the BDF, to find out whether Reynolds will face trial before any internal disciplinary committee.
“All procedures and processes will be followed through … Because it is a civil matter, he might have brought the force into disrepute, and therefore, he will be disciplined according to our standing orders, if the courts find him guilty. Of course, at the moment, it is just an allegation,” he said.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that a member of the Belize Coast Guard was also involved in the affair. Amandala reached out to Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, to confirm those reports; however, he was unable to confirm, as he had not been unaware of such reports.