Alex Alexander, a 26-year-old minibus conductor who told the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court he committed a burglary because he had nothing to do during the recent minibus strike, was jailed for three years on Wednesday.
The Largo Height man had pleaded guilty to entering the house of Kyisha Compton a 27-year-old school teacher, and Zofayah Compton, 20-year-old bartender and stealing cash and other items amounting to thousands of dollars.
The items including laptops, computers, jewellery and $5,300 in cash was stolen from Kyisha while Zofayah was releaved of just over $400.
Alexander had seized the opportunity to burglarize the home of the sisters while they were out on a visit between March 9 and 14.
The sisters had secured the building in Largo Height, leaving everything intact, but Alexander was able to force open a door to gain entry.
A report was made to the police and he was arrested during investigations.
The conductor, who was unrepresented, told the Court, “Van been strike and I didn’t get nothing to do, so I go across by she and force open the door and go inside.”
“I been looking for something to eat, and I start eating”, he admitted “that he saw the cash and other items, took them and left”.
Alexander said he spent the stolen
money, and was trying to sell the other items.
Only some of them were recovered.
He said he get $120 every Saturday and asked the Court to allow him to compensate the sisters.
One of the sister’s told the Court that Alexander usually walk through their yard, and they would give him things he needed.
In scrutinizing Alexander’s record, Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett said, “His first offence was committed when he was a juvenile, and that was the beginning of his criminal career, and it was for burglary, and most of his offences are for theft and burglary, so what he has done to both of you (complainants), is something that is embedded in his DNA”.
The Magistrate noted that Alexander was released from prison in January this year, and it was no where he was going to escape a jail term on this charge.
The Comptons’ said they would have like to be compensated, but they agreed that Alexander was not in any position to compensate them.
“There is nothing that you can say or do this morning that can prevent you from going back to your home in prison”, Burnett told the defendant.
“Prison is not my home”, Alexander replied in tears.
But the Magistrate was not moved.
“Look at your record, prison, prison, prison”, he reminded Alexander again.
1 Comment
Can you imagine burglarizing and stealing from people who are kind to you, that is cold hearted wickedness. I agree with Magristrate Burnette. Just imagine you’re just released from prison and would do the same thing again. This has to be his calling/profession. He should be given a longer sentence. He’s a menace to society.