Ex-Cop Vidal Campos Freed of Charge of Auto Theft

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 24, 2010

Former Police Officer Vidal Campos, 42, from whom a charge of obtaining property by deception was dismissed about 2 weeks ago, was freed of a charge of auto theft on Monday, February 22 in the #4 Magistrate’s Court when it was withdrawn by the complainant, Mrs. Myrna Varela, the Manager of Varela Auto Rentals, located at #42 Ebony Street.

Campos, now a building contractor, rented a 2005 grey Jeep Cherokee Laredo from Varela Auto rentals on August 5, 2009. Campos said that initially he rented the vehicle for one day and he deposited $1,500. He said when the time had expired he called Mrs. Varela and told her that he wanted to rent the vehicle for 20 more days. Mrs. Varela reported the vehicle stolen when Campos did not return it on the day he was supposed to.

Police recovered the vehicle in Caledonia after Campos had it for over a month. Campos produced a receipt which showed that he paid $1,900 plus the deposit money for the rental fee. Campos said that $280 which he paid for a water pump for the vehicle was deducted from the rental fee.

Campos’ is still faced with a charge of forgery for a parcel of land in Hopkins. The charge of obtaining property by deception was for the same parcel of land which he pawned to Fair Brothers for $30,000.

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