Ice bag thief jailed for 18 months

A man who broke into a city business and stole a quantity of items, including plastic bags used to package ice was on Wednesday jailed for 18 months by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Michael Singh of Lot 18 Enmore, East Coast Demerara, pleaded guilty to the break and enter charge which stated that between 4 and 5 June, 2016 at Robb and King Streets, Lacytown, Georgetown, he broke and entered the Country Pride Ice Store and stole 1 trolley, 1 trolley wheel and ice bags, a total value of $46,000.

Singh was also slapped with a second charge which stated that between 28 and 29 June, 2016 at the same location, he stole 1 cooler and one fan a total value of $30,000, property of Butch Parmanand.

The virtual complainant (VC) Parmanand said this is the fourth occasion that his store has been broken into by the defendant.

The defendant told the court that he did steal the cooler but not the fan.

The prosecution stated that on July 4, 2016, the VC secured his store with the items inside, but upon return, the northern door of the store was opened and the articles listed were missing.

The CCTV footage showed the defendant removing the items. The matter was reported, an investigation was carried out and the defendant was arrested.

The defendant admitted to the crime and was subsequently charged.

For the second charge, the prosecution facts stated that on June 28, 2016 at 18:00h, the VC secured his store and returned to find a hole in the western wall of the building and discovered that the items were missing.

Singh was found guilty by Chief Magistrate McLennan.