Serial thief pleads guilty to multimillion-dollar thefts

A teenager from the mining town of Linden appeared before the Wales Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Clive Nurse to answer a barrage of larceny charges.

Sharif Ford, 17, of Lot 19 Industrial Area, Linden, pled guilty to three separate charges but entered a not guilty plea on three others.
It is alleged that on July 11, 2016 at Retrieve, McKenzie, Linden, Ford broke and entered the building of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) where he made off with: six USB chargers; five jet sets; 28 cellular phones; 1370 pre-paid phone cards; 100 sim cards; and $12,160 cash, all amounting to $2,229,047, all property of GTT. Ford pled Guilty on this offence.
In evidence provided by the Police prosecutor, it was noted that at about 04:00h on July 11, Forde was stopped by Police while on patrol at Yarirabo, McKenzie.
After a search was carried out, Forde’s haversack was found to contain the items and had confessed that he stole them.
When asked by Magistrare Nurse for a response, the defendant maintained his guilty plea.
He also conceded guilt on charges which stated that between July 4 and 5, he broke and entered the variety shop of Rohani Singh, also of McKenzie and stole $80,000 worth in groceries.
The Court heard that the shop owner, Singh, knows the defendant since her son was a school mate of Ford’s.
The young man also admitted that between August 22 and 23, 2015, at the McKenzie Market, he broke and entered the shop of Lenox Wilson and stole $20,000 in cash and $10,000 in groceries.
He however objected to a number of other thefts, which the Police alleged he committed.
The Court also heard that on November 30, 2015, at Republic Avenue, McKenzie the defendant allegedly broke into the building of Cell Smart Incorporated and stole 15 cellular phones; 19 phone cases; one sim card cutter; four cellphone chargers; three USB cables; eight cellphone batteries; seven flash drives; one selfie stick; five earpieces; all to a total value of $678,700. Ford expressed that he was not guilty of this offence.
Further, the teenager was also accused but pled not guilty to allegedly robbing, at Linden, the store belonging to Banwantie Sirpaul of $500,000 in cash in May 2016; and allegedly breaking and entering the store of Celena Ramdyall and stealing $80,000 cash, also in May 2016.
The defendant told the court that he hasn’t had a job since leaving school but currently lives alone. Ford further noted that this was the first time he was charged for such offences.
The Police Prosecution objected to bail on the grounds that Ford would commit similar offences if released and that he would “interfere” with some the virtual complainants as he personally knows them.
All of the matters, including sentencing on the guilty pleas, were transferred to Linden Magistrate’s Court.
Ford will make his next court appearance on July 27, when a probation report is expected to be presented to the court before sentencing.