By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Burrell Boom construction worker was sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to burglarizing his sister-in-law’s home and stealing her purse.
Rene Alfonso Ortega, 28, appeared before the Magistrate’s Court where he pleaded guilty to burglary for entering his sister-in-law’s home in the Castleton Heights area of Burrell Boom Village on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
According to police, the woman reported that around 7:15 a.m., she went to get her wallet from a table in her living room to give her son money for school, but realized it was missing. The purse contained $50 in cash, two Atlantic Bank debit cards, and three Social Security cards belonging to her, her husband, and her son. The total value of the stolen items was placed at $185.
She told police she had seen Ortega, her brother-in-law, walking away from the area of her house earlier that morning. She also reported that her door had been left open.
Police later detained Ortega in front of Ice Cold Store. While in custody, police say Ortega admitted to taking the purse, telling officers, “I am sorry boss, I tek the purse and I will ker yuh feh it.”
Ortega then led police to a bushy area about 500 yards from his sister-in-law’s home, where officers recovered the brown purse containing the debit cards and Social Security cards. The cash was not recovered.
In sentencing Ortega, the court noted that he appeared remorseful, had pleaded guilty early, and that this was his first conviction for burglary. However, the court also considered that he had a previous conviction for theft, another crime of dishonesty.
The Senior Magistrate started at 18 months, adjusted the sentence based on aggravating and mitigating factors, and then reduced it further for Ortega’s early guilty plea.
Ortega was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.
According to BBN’s records, Ortega was also fined $1,000 after being arrested for possession of a crack pipe then jumping out of the police vehicle, escaping police custody, being recaptured and telling police he did it because he needed to feed his family.
The post A year in jail for Burrell Boom man who took purse with $50 from sister-in-law’s house appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Burrell Boom construction worker was sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to burglarizing his sister-in-law’s home and stealing her purse. Rene Alfonso Ortega, 28, appeared before the Magistrate’s Court where he pleaded guilty to burglary for entering his sister-in-law’s home in the Castleton Heights area of
The post A year in jail for Burrell Boom man who took purse with $50 from sister-in-law’s house appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
