Belize City Man Back Behind Bars Days After Prison Release

A 24-year-old Belize City man is back behind bars just nine days after being released from prison, this time on allegations that he was caught in the act attempting to burglarize a woman’s home on Fabers Road.  Robert Lauriano, a resident of Fabers Road, appeared unrepresented before a Belize City Magistrate yesterday, where he was arraigned on a single charge of burglary. He pleaded not guilty to the allegation.  According to police, the incident occurred shortly before 3:00 on Monday morning. The complainant, 52-year-old bartender Carol Viola Carr, reported that she was asleep when she was awakened by someone reaching through her bedroom window with a makeshift pole. The device was allegedly being used to hook and retrieve her handbag, which contained three hundred and fifty-three dollars in cash along with personal items including a mirror, lip gloss and sunglasses, valued at a total of just over four hundred dollars.  Police say Carr reacted quickly by grabbing the improvised pole from the suspect before calling 911. She then ran outside, where she reportedly recognized a man, she had seen in the neighbourhood before and confronted him, delaying his departure until police officers arrived and detained him at the scene.  Lauriano was subsequently charged with burglary. During his arraignment, the court denied him bail after learning that he had only recently been released from prison following a conviction for handling stolen goods.  He has been remanded to the Belize Central Prison until August 24, when he is scheduled to return to court as the matter proceeds.