By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 50-year-old Belize City babysitter was spared jail time after pleading guilty to handling more than $1,400 worth of stolen property taken from a man’s vehicle.
Martha Angela Ferrell, a mother and babysitter of Arlington Drive, appeared unrepresented before a Senior Magistrate in Court #2, where she was read a single charge of handling stolen goods.
Ferrell admitted that on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, she dishonestly assisted in keeping several stolen items belonging to a 24-year-old public relations officer. The items recovered from her home included a Southwest bag, a rope gold chain, an Anchor power bank, a gold watch, a vape device, a sensor, and a wallet containing personal documents and bank cards, with a total value of $1,436.
After pleading guilty, Ferrell asked the court for leniency and admitted she struggles with alcohol, telling the court that she “drinks a lot.”
Taking into account that she is a first-time offender, entered an early guilty plea, and qualified for a one-third discount, the Senior Magistrate imposed a non-custodial sentence, fining her $750 plus $5 court costs. She was given until July 31, 2027 to pay, in default of which she will serve three months imprisonment.
The magistrate also offered words of advice, telling Ferrell that while help is available for alcohol dependency, she must willingly seek that assistance because the court cannot force her into treatment. She was reportedly directed to an institution near Pound Yard that may be able to help.
According to police, the matter began after the man reported that his 2018 Nissan Rogue SUV had been broken into sometime between the night of April 5 and the morning of April 6, 2026, while parked in front of his home on Louise Bevans Street.
He told investigators that items totaling $9,781 were stolen from the vehicle, including cameras, jewelry, electronics, watches, cash, and personal documents.
Police processed the vehicle and reportedly found an empty beer can and a pair of slippers inside. Their investigation later led them to Ferrell’s residence on Arlington Drive, where several of the stolen items valued at $1,436 were recovered.
Police say investigations continue as they attempt to recover the remaining stolen property.
The post 50-year-old babysitter avoids ‘timeout’ but fined $750 for handling $1,436 in stolen goods; asks court for leniency claiming she has ‘drinking problem’ appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 50-year-old Belize City babysitter was spared jail time after pleading guilty to handling more than $1,400 worth of stolen property taken from a man’s vehicle. Martha Angela Ferrell, a mother and babysitter of Arlington Drive, appeared unrepresented before a Senior Magistrate in Court #2, where she was read a
The post 50-year-old babysitter avoids ‘timeout’ but fined $750 for handling $1,436 in stolen goods; asks court for leniency claiming she has ‘drinking problem’ appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
