Hello Lot Owner,

Unfortunately, there have been some recent incidents of apparent theft and vandalism in our Better In Belize (BIB) community. 

On January 12, 2022 your BIB POA installed a sign at the front gate alerting potential buyers about the lack of guaranteed road access for certain lots for sale at BIB. To date, Looey Tremblay, the former owner of BIB Ltd, and owner of the adjacent Belize Mountain Resorts property has not honored his previous pledges and agreement to sign the road easement for Forest Hill Drive that was delivered to him in October, 2021.

On April 13, 2022, our security camera recorded Jenny Lodes removing the above referenced sign and throwing it on the ground. Forty-five minutes later the security camera recorded Walter Browning taking the sign away in his truck. The BIB POA provided both of these security camera videos to the police and filled out a police report. The sign was returned by the Benque Police and re-installed a few days later.

On May 13, 2022, the sign was once again removed. This photograph, taken that same day, shows the sign again in the back of Walter Browning's truck. A police report was filed.

On May 13, 2022, also around the time of the sign theft, the lock on the Bean Bale house was cut and the DVR for the security cameras was stolen. As a matter of both theft and vandalism, it appears that the security cameras and the solar power system were also damaged. A police report was filed.

On May 13, 2022, the security camera DVR units at the Garden Share Shed were also stolen. Evidence shows that someone had used the keypad combination to enter the Garden Share Shed safety room and then took the hinges off the locked door that contained the DVR's. A police report was also filed.

That same day, in the Benque Police Department WhatsApp security group chat, a person posting under the name "Jenny Lodes" said the following, in response to the reported thefts:

"Walter Browning has not broken into anything. He has every right to go into any community building since he has restructured the community..."

The BIB POA acquired the Bean Bale house from Better In Belize Ltd in 2016, around the time that BIB Ltd transferred authority to manage the BIB community to the BIB POA. Given our remote location, the importance of accountability and security is paramount.

These security cameras were initially installed a few years ago by the BIB POA in response to an armed home invasion at BIB and the theft of garden equipment. These security cameras were all purchased by the BIB POA with owners' fees for the benefit of our entire community.

It is disheartening, reprehensible, and we believe suspicious that any person(s) at BIB would endanger the lives of our occupants and the welfare of our community with these thefts that disable our security camera systems. The BIB POA is committed to using every legal means at its disposal to recover the stolen equipment and to fully prosecute those responsible.

The BIB POA Board is working diligently to restore the security cameras as quickly as possible. For the time being, the safety room at the Garden Share Shed will remain locked.
 

Thank you,

BIB POA Board