A theft and a burglary have been reported in San Pedro and Ladyville, respectively.

At about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, Robert Spica, an American retiree of Las Brisas, Mile 4 1/2 South Ambergris Caye, told police that his handyman had been stealing from his money bag which he had hidden.

Spica had informed police that he had sold a boat and had put the money he received in a bag and had hidden the bag, but it was found by his handyman, and between March 31 and April 1, the handyman took money, amounting to $3,000, from the bag without his permission.

The handyman was detained and when questioned, he told police that he had indeed taken $3,000 from Spica’s money bag. He has since been taken into custody, pending charges of theft.

Then yesterday, a resident of Santa Elena, Cayo, Carlos Chan, who is a former employee of Medina Construction Company, was taken to the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court on charges of theft and possession of stolen goods.

Chan pleaded guilty to the charges and was given a 2-year prison sentence.

Police said that over $41,000 worth of equipment reported stolen from Medina Construction Company was found with him on Monday after the locked trailer in which the equipment had been stored by the company was burglarized over the weekend.

David Medina, the owner of the company, told police that he had set up a trailer on the Santander Farm near Banana Bank to house the expensive equipment needed to commence construction in the area, and over the weekend, someone had broken into the trailer and stolen equipment valuing over $45,000.

Police’s investigation led to the arrest and detention of Carlos Chan, and police are seeking his accomplice, whom they know, to lay similar charges on him.

Chan has since been taken to the Belize Central Prison to commence his jail sentence.