The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 55-year-old man who stole two bottles of liquor he claimed he planned to sell to support his drug addiction was yesterday fined $600.

Police arrested Lindon Johnson after he stole two bottles of Hennessy from the Restaurant Supply Store on Bay Street on February 11.

The court was told the store’s security guard caught Johnson stealing the two bottles, which were worth $110, and ordered him to hand them over. He then informed the store’s manager of the incident, who later reported the matter to police.

Johnson was arrested a short time later. During an interview with officers at a nearby station, he said he stole the liquor because he wanted to “get something he could sell to buy food and pay for his hotel room”.

However, after Johnson pleaded guilty to stealing during his arraignment, he told the magistrate he had a drug problem and stole the alcohol to get money to support his habit.

Last October, the accused was sentenced to six months in prison after he was caught attempting to steal hygienic products from Lowe’s Pharmacy.

At the time, police said Johnson had stuffed two packs of razors, four packs of women’s deodorant and six packs of Axe deodorant in his shirt but was stopped by a security guard who detained him so police could search him and recover the stolen items.

According to the prosecution, Johnson was also convicted of another stealing offence in the recent past.

Magistrate Forbes told the accused that if he knew his drug problem was causing him to appear before the courts frequently, he should have taken the initiative to get help to change his behaviour.

As a result, he fined Johnson $600 or six months in prison. He also urged the accused to take advantage of the drug rehabilitation programme offered at the Department of Social Services.