By Belize Live News Staff: A daring early morning theft of government vehicles was thwarted after police recovered all four pickups stolen from the Ministry of Agriculture compound in Central Farm.
According to official information, six men carried out the coordinated operation around 3:00 a.m., restraining security personnel before escaping with four ministry-owned pickup trucks. The vehicles included three Toyota Hilux pickups and one Nissan Frontier.
Police say the suspects attempted to transport the vehicles westward, but built-in GPS tracking and geo-fencing technology proved crucial. Two of the stolen pickups automatically shut down upon reaching the Guatemalan border at Arenal Village, preventing them from being taken out of the country.
The remaining vehicles were later intercepted by the Special Patrol Unit. During the encounter, shots were reportedly fired at police, prompting the suspects to abandon the vehicles and flee into surrounding bush areas.
Authorities note that the geo-fencing system prevents government vehicles from crossing into Mexico or Guatemala without special authorization, a security measure that played a key role in the swift recovery.
All four vehicles have since been recovered, and police investigations into the incident continue.
