No Arrest for Dito Juan Attack

Our investigation reveal that at around 4:30 pm on Thursday October 28, Dito was returning to Santa Elena Town from his farm located about 2 miles off the Western Highway in the village of Georgeville, Cayo, when he reportedly stopped the silver in color, double cab, Dodge Ram pickup truck, with Cayo license plates CY-C-2605, in which he was driving alone, to close the main access gate to his farm as he was retiring from the farm for the day. He was returning to the vehicle when he reportedly saw, what he initially suspected as children fumbling low in front of the vehicle. As he was approaching the vehicle a man suddenly sprang up from the rear side of the parked truck with a long stick in his hand and came at him ordering him to hand over what he had, within what appeared to be a split second he got the first hit to head and he fell to the ground as two male persons stood over himand began beating him with sticks. In an attempt to defend himself, he reportedly made an effort to pull out his licensed 9 mm pistol from the right side of the waist band of his pants but he was too weak from the beating to release the safety catch.

The attackers took the gun loaded with 10 rounds in the magazine along with his wallet containing over one thousand dollars in cash and personal documents. They also searched his pockets and removed other cash he had therein. After robbing him they disappeared into the nearby bushes with almost fifteen hundred dollars in cash and with Dito’s licensed 9mm, Smith & Wesson brand pistol, with serial number A746273, with a magazine loaded with 10 bullets valued at another fifteen hundred dollars, all for a total loss of three thousand dollars.

Despite the severe beating he managed to crawl inside his truck, barely seeing out of both eyes with the right one almost closed shut due to massive swelling, he managed to drive the two miles to the police station in Georgeville where he made the initial report. The matter was compounded when the policeman on duty could not assist with driving the Dodge Ram and so, in severe pain and drastically reduced visibility, accompanied by the policeman, Dito drove over 6 miles to the Loma Luz hospital in Santa Elena, where he was rushed into the emergency ward. He was treated for injuries to the head, back, and arms. He was kept for the overnight and released the following day.

About half an hour after the attack, one of the farm workers realized that something had occurred in the area when he found his boss’ eye glasses and his cellular telephone on the ground near the gate. By this time however, Dito had already driven himself to the police station and the hospital. Dito suspects that in their haste to rob him and escape, the attackers did not take any of his two cellular telephones. He has since been recuperating at home in Santa Elena, Cayo. Today, seven days later, the attack is still evident as his eyes are still bloodshot with visible bruises around the eye sockets and large bruises on his arms and back.

San Ignacio police is asking anyone with information that could assist in the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for attacking Dito Juan, to please contact the Officer in charge of the formation or the Sergeant Commanding San Ignacio’s Crimes Investigation Branch or the Police Special Branch Officer at the police station in San Ignacio Town.