The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 31-year-old man who admitted to stealing a car part from a woman’s vehicle last year was granted an absolute discharge yesterday.

Reno McDonald was arrested after he stole the front grill from Lazell Strachan’s Honda Accord last March. Prosecutor Sgt Vernon Pyfrom told the court on March 15, 2020, that Strachan reported to police she was at her home when an unknown man stole a grill from her car, estimated cost $52.99.

An investigation was launched and resulted in the accused being arrested.

While being interviewed by police, McDonald admitted the offence.

During his second appearance before Magistrate Kendra Kelly yesterday, he pleaded guilty to the charge.

In mitigation, McDonald’s attorney told the court the accused was under the influence of alcohol during the time of the incident and was extremely remorseful for his actions. He said the accused was approached by several people who bribed him with liquor, got him drunk and took him to Ms Strachan’s residence.

His lawyer noted that while he was under the influence, the people in question ordered him to steal the item from the car.

However, his lawyer said that on later realising what had happened, he returned the items to Ms Strachan, which was confirmed by the prosecution. “He is very remorseful. I can assure the court that it will never happen again,” the attorney said.

Magistrate Kelly granted McDonald an absolute discharge.

However, she reminded him stealing was a serious offence that could result in imprisonment and also warned him to never repeat the behaviour again.

Also appearing before court on similar offences were Mitch Moss, 25, and 19-year-old Cruz Johnson.

During their hearing before Magistrate Kelly, the two admitted to dishonestly receiving an iPhone worth $519, belonging to Walliscia McKinney on November 27. Moss also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession after police found several iPhones in his possession which were suspected to have been stolen.

The court was told that on that day, a woman reported to police that sometime around 4.15am, her car was broken into by an unknown person while parked on Rosetta Street.

The prosecution said the woman later discovered that she and her friend’s phones were missing.

Sometime later, officers arrested Moss and took him to the Quakoo Street Police Station. During his interview with police, the accused told officers he had purchased the phones from a man known to him.

He said one of the phones found in his possession was given to him by a man named “Cruz”, to whom he took the phone in hopes of getting it unlocked.

Moss told the court he repaired cell phones for a living and explained an acquaintance brought him several phones that were locked which he later bought.

He said he did not know the phones were stolen.

However, in response, Magistrate Kelly said she could not accept his guilty pleas based on his claims of not knowing the items were stolen. But, Moss maintained his guilty pleas, which prompted Magistrate Kelly to ask if he either knew or suspected the items were stolen.

Moss later said he knew the phones were locked, but Magistrate Kelly interjected and asked him: “What does it mean when the phone is locked?”

The accused replied: “That means it’s someone else’s own.”

After listening to his explanation, Magistrate Kelly subsequently fined Moss $2,500 for receiving and $500 for unlawful possession, adding that she found his behaviour completely unacceptable.

The magistrate also gave him until the end of the month to make his first payment of $1,000.

Moss was also told that failure to pay the fines for the receiving charge will result in one year in prison and five months for unlawful possession.

Meanwhile, as it relates to Johnson, Magistrate Kelly granted him a conditional discharge provided he completes 150 hours of community service.

Magistrate Kelly made the ruling after Johnson’s attorney begged the court for leniency, noting the offence was a minor one.

She also said Johnson, a business owner, was remorseful for his actions.