COROZAL TOWN, Corozal District, Thurs. May 25, 2017–Wayne Turner, 53, a laborer of Ranchito, Corozal District, and a minor had just burglarized Mary Hill RC School, located in Corozal Town, at about 3:00 yesterday morning and were walking out of the school compound with electronic equipment and school items in four bags (Turner and the minor had 2 bags each) when they were busted by police who were conducting an anti-crime patrol in the area.

The school principal was called to the station, where he identified the items as belonging to the school. The items were valued at about $9,000; the school had bought the items through fundraising and donations. The items were 5 laptop computers, 4 projectors and other accessories much needed by the school.

Guillermo Pech, the principal of the school, declared it “Divine intervention” that the thieves were captured red-handed by police, because it would have set back the school many years, he said, because all of the items were obtained through the hard work of parents and the community, and donations from organizations in and around Corozal Town.

Turner and the minor were charged with burglary, damage to property and handling stolen goods.

This morning, Turner and the minor were taken to the Corozal Magistrate’s Court, where they were arraigned and offered bail. Turner was unable to meet the bail of $3,000, and he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until his next court date, July 27.

The minor was bailed by his mother, and he was released.

We were informed that the minor is from another village.

Police said that they were on patrol when they saw a boy and a man coming out of the school compound and stopped them to search them for illegal items. When the bags were opened, police saw the school equipment.

When police went to the principal’s office, they saw that the two thieves had cut the burglar bars and removed louvers from the window to gain entry into the office. The office had been ransacked, and many items had been thrown about on the floor.