By Belize Live News Staff: A Carmelita fisherman’s determination led to the recovery of his stolen horse over the weekend, ten days after the animal was first taken from his property.
Moses Clarence Bartley, 47, reported that the theft occurred on the night of Saturday, March 21, 2026. According to the report, Bartley’s 15-year-old son had secured their brown Quarter horse mix in the family yard around 7:00 p.m. By the following morning, the horse, valued at $1,500.00 BZD, was gone.
While initial searches by the family proved unsuccessful, a vital tip came from Bartley’s sister-in-law, who recalled seeing two young men riding horses through the village late on the night of the disappearance. She noted that one of the horses appeared to be the one belonging to Bartley.
The breakthrough in the case happened on Tuesday, March 31, while Bartley was traveling from Lemonal Village in the Belize District. He spotted a young man riding a horse along the roadside that matched the description of his missing animal. Bartley reportedly stopped the individual and, upon closer inspection, observed that the brand on the horse’s left leg appeared to have been freshly “over-branded” in an attempt to hide its original markings.
Bartley immediately visited the Sand Hill Police Station to file a formal statement. Police have since recovered the horse, and Scenes of Crime (SOC) personnel were called in to photograph the animal as part of the ongoing evidence.
The matter is currently under investigation. Police are looking to identify the two individuals seen riding the horse on the night of the theft.
