Repeat Offender Sentenced: Handyman Gets 3 Months for Theft and Property Damage

A Belize City handyman spent his second night in prison after being convicted of theft and damage to property following a break-in at Cheeks, a business located in the Downtown Plaza Building. Fifty-four-year-old Derrick Leroy Murillo, also known as “Bubbles,” of Sarstoon Street, was sentenced to three months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing $750 worth of perfumes and damaging a glass display case.  Murillo, who was unrepresented in court, appeared before the Magistrate in Court #2, where he faced two charges—one for theft and the other for damage to property. Wasting no time, Murillo pleaded guilty to both charges, admitting that he broke into the store because he was not being paid for his work at the plaza. He claimed he only stole four perfumes, not the larger number listed in the charge, and sold them to buy food.  While breaking into the business, Murillo damaged the glass showcase, which he said broke during the burglary. Despite his admission, the Magistrate pointed out that Murillo had been placed in a position of trust and had violated that trust by stealing from his employer. The court also noted that this was not Murillo’s first offense. He had been previously convicted of theft on three occasions and had one prior conviction for burglary.  As a result, Murillo was sentenced to three months for theft and two months for damage to property. However, the Magistrate ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning Murillo will only serve three months in total.  The incident occurred on Saturday, October 5, 2024, when Kelly Hernandez, the manager of Cheeks, reported to police that the store’s glass showcase had been damaged and 25 perfumes, worth a total of $750, were missing. Hernandez said the damage was discovered by a cashier upon opening the store, and surveillance footage revealed that the perpetrator was Murillo, the handyman who had worked at Downtown Plaza for the past five years.  The glass door from the showcase was found hidden in the building’s bathroom, with an estimated value of $250. Based on the evidence, police launched an investigation, and Murillo was arrested and charged on October 11.  Murillo’s guilty plea and his prior record of dishonesty offenses led to his custodial sentence, which he began serving immediately.