MAZATLÁN – Three team coaches Federals of Chiriquí, from Panama, suffered the theft of $ 560 in the locker room of the team at Teodoro Mariscal Stadium, while facing Caribou from Anzoátegui, from Venezuela, in the first game of the Caribbean Series on Sunday morning.
David Salayandía, president of the Panama Professional Baseball League (Probeis), said ESPN Digital that a surveillance camera captured an intruder, without credentials, searching through the team’s belongings in the coaches’ room.
“We have a bittersweet taste, we won, but we also went through an awkward situation,” said Salayandía, who is also a sports journalist in his country. “This should not happen, especially with all the security that such an important event, which takes place in the middle of a pandemic, must have,” he added.
“Check the security cameras,” said Yasilka Córdoba, a press officer for the Panamanian team, who gave the exact number of those stolen.
Affected coaches are Earl Anoly, who led the runners through first base, Darwin Marrero, who handled pitching, and Ashley Ponce, who directed traffic through third base.
The federations began their participation in the Caribbean Series with a 6-3 victory over Venezuela and on Monday they will face Caimanes from Barranquilla, Colombia, at 11:00 (13:00).
The organizing committee of the Caribbean Series informed the Panamanian delegation that it had put the case in the hands of the local police to try to identify the thief, who apparently is someone who is not authorized to walk through the area.
The second team to occupy the locker room on the first day of the series was Creole from Caguas, from Puerto Rico, who faced Aguilas Cibaeñas, from the Dominican Republic.