Two men have admitted in court to stealing food items from Massy supermarkets in separate incidents earlier this month.
O’brian David Barnes, 42, who was listed as having no fixed place of abode, pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of water, Ribena, Gatorade, soda, snacks and other items totalling $67.81 from Massy Warrens last Thursday.
Prosecutor Sergeant Gazelda Knight told the District ‘A’ Traffic Court that Barnes walked through the aisles and picked up the items, placing them in a small backpack. He approached the cashier with a small soft drink in his hand, paid for it and then attempted to leave the store. He was stopped by security guards and searched and the items were found. Police were contacted and he was arrested.
Asked why he had taken the items, Barnes told the court that he wanted them but did not have enough money to pay, saying that things had not been going well for him financially. He said that he lived near to his mother but not in the same house.
Magistrate Jared Richards ordered a pre-sentencing report for the first-time offender and released Barnes on personal bail of $200, before adjourning the case until November 25.
In a separate case, Matthew Dargon was placed on a six-month bond to stay out of trouble or else be imprisoned for three months after he pleaded guilty to stealing a can of tuna worth $2.09 from Massy on August 2.
According to the prosecutor, Sergeant Verdon Forde, Dargon entered the supermarket as it opened, made his way to the canned items aisle, took up the tin, placed it in a plastic bag and walked past the cashier. He began to run after security personnel began to approach him but was caught.
In his explanation, Dargon, 36, of no fixed address, told Magistrate Richards that he was hungry and decided to take the chance.
The magistrate replied: “Why didn’t you ask the persons in at Massy for the tuna? Or you could have asked persons for some change and you wouldn’t be in this position now.”
Dargon said: “I didn’t know if anybody would have given me and I had some coins but it wasn’t enough to buy the tuna.”
Asked whether he had a drug problem, Dargon admitted that he was “on the hard stuff”.
“The one where you use the bottle,” he said.
After placing him on the bond, Magistrate Richards urged him to get some help at the Psychiatric Hospital.
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