Police News

Major crimes in San Pedro, Ambergris, such as murders, have decreased over the last few years, but in the very early hours of Monday, October 23rd, all that changed when two adults and a 3-year-old baby girl were shot and killed in the San Pedrito subdivision. Police identified the deceased as Delmar Rodriguez, 25, and a second adult, Carlos Chi. The baby girl was Rodriguez’s daughter, Amari Rodriguez. Four bystanders were also caught in the hail of gunshots and airlifted to Belize City for further medical attention. Three of them remain in critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. As police investigations continue, they have one person of interest they are currently looking for. Police speculate that the motive is related to drug gang activity on the island.

The Belize Police Department along with Civil Aviation continue investigating the crash landing of a Cessna Caravan in the southern Placencia Peninsula in the early hours of Monday, October 16th. Civil Aviation said it was not an approved flight and as such the incident is being criminally investigated. Preliminary information revealed the aircraft, belonging to a local airline, had been stolen from the Placencia airstrip and flown by a pair of South American nationals who perished when the aircraft crashed shortly after taking off in the darkness of the early morning.

On Saturday, October 14th, San Pedro Police detained 29-year-old Emmanuel Marcos Garcia and 37-year-old Walter Antonio Lopez after they were found with an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Police spotted them while on a patrol ten miles north of San Pedro Town. The pair were brought to the San Pedro Police Station, where they were jointly charged with keeping a firearm and ammunition without a gun license.

The investigation into the early morning fire that destroyed 20 golf carts belonging to Road Runner Rentals and other structures and items in the rental’s garage was determined to be arson. No one has been detained, and while police continue investigating, reports indicate that the unfortunate incident left a loss of over half a million Belize dollars.

The Belize Defence Force (BDF) sent personnel to the Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport in Belize City after they were alerted about an item resembling an explosive object sent as cargo on a local flight from San Pedro Town.

The police on the island have been working on intelligence reports and are cracking down on the importation of illegal items to the island.

On Friday, August 25th, San Pedro tour guide Jesse Smith was released from the Kolbe Foundation- Belize Central Prison after being charged with Causing Death by Careless Conduct in a February boating accident that killed a teenage American visitor.  One hour before the news of his release was shared, tour guides, tour operators, fishermen, family members, and friends came out in numbers to denounce the charges and demanded that the respective authorities like the Belize Port Authority (BPA) and Belize Tourism Board (BTB) do their job. Protesters spoke about the absence of proper signage, no distinctions of No Wake zones, no swimming areas, or navigational lights to guide vessels or swimmers.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Egbert Edmund Castillo Jr. and Inspector Darwin Serano are the new commanding officers of the San Pedro Police Formation. Superintendent Castillo Jr. is the new chief at the police station, replacing Assistant Superintendent Basil Reyes, while Inspector Serano holds the post of deputy at the station. Both senior officers, under the leadership of Superintendent Alejandro Cowo, Commander of Region Four (San Pedro and Caye Caulker), want to continue the excellent work on the island. According to them, several harmful elements have been removed from the island as they work hand in hand with the community for a safer San Pedro.