Woman Charged for Stealing Gun From Sleeping Elderly Man in Caye Caulker

Azmin Barrera has been formally charged with theft after allegedly stealing a licensed firearm from a 73-year-old man while he slept. The thirty-year-old Barrera, who was initially only known to police by an alias, was tracked down by investigators following a report made earlier this week by Dennis Gelinas, a longtime resident of Caye Caulker. According to the police, Gelinas told officers that he had invited Barrera to his home for a late-night drink. The two reportedly watched a movie and talked into the early hours of Monday morning. Gelinas said he fell asleep around 3:00 a.m., and when he woke up after 10:00 a.m., both Barrera and his firearm were gone. At the time, Gelinas admitted he did not know her full name, only that he had known her from childhood. That limited information prompted an investigation by island police, which led to Barrera’s identification and arrest. While she has since been charged, police are still working to recover the missing weapon. Barrera is expected to appear before the court later this week.