Man broke into former crime chief’s car -court hears
A father of five who allegedly broke into the motor vehicles of a former police officer and a former police commissioner and stole a quantity of items was granted bail last Monday in the sum of $240,000 when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.
Twenty-eight-year-old Richard Craigan of 66 Broad Street, Charlestown pleaded not guilty to four counts of simple larceny and two counts of damage to property.
It is alleged that between July 30 and 31 Craigan stole a handbag, an umbrella, a wallet, a quantity of cash and several other items, totalling $48,000, property of Meena Singh and Valmikki Singh.
It is also alleged that on September 4, Craigan stole a shoulder bag, two cell phones, a wallet and several other items, totalling $79,700, property of Sarah Baird.
It is also alleged that on December 1, Craigan unlawfully and maliciously damaged one quarter-glass window valued $7,000 that fits on a Toyota Hilux vehicle, property of Oswald Hope, a former police officer.
Also on December 1, he allegedly stole a shoulder bag and two cell phones, among other items, totalling $128,000, property of Neleema.
The same day, Craigan allegedly unlawfully and maliciously damaged a quarter-glass window valued $33,000, property of Alvin Smith, a former crime chief and that he also stole a briefcase, a penknife and a cell phone, totalling $35,500, property of Smith.
Craigan’s lawyer, Adrian Thompson applied for bail for him on the grounds that his client was a registered owner of a shipping business. He also stated that it was strange that his client was charged only now with the present offences as the crimes had allegedly taken placed since July 31.
However, Hope who was also present in court stated that on December 31, he parked his car in front of the Christ Church Men’s Guild. He stated that he had secured his car and had not given anyone permission to enter it. He said that he left the car and went inside the building where the committee members started the meeting but during the deliberations the rain started to fall. Hope noted that a security guard was supposed to have been watching the vehicles that were parked by the committee members. He stated that when the meeting was over he went to the spot where he had parked his car and discovered his rear quarter-glass window was broken and upon entering the vehicle he observed that the items mentioned in the charge were missing, including his bank card, identification card and $80,000 in cash.
“He (Craigan) had promised to repay me for the losses and right now I am financially embarrassed,” said Hope.
Meanwhile, Singh stated that on the day in question he had left his vehicle in the National Park to transact some business nearby but when he got back to his vehicle he discovered the quarter-glass window broken.
“At that time I did think somebody break de window by accident and ran away.” Singh stated that upon entering the vehicle he observed that the items mentioned in the charge were missing. He said that he made a report to the Alberttown Police Station and the police dusted the car and one fingerprint was uplifted.
“The police is trying to blame him (Craigan) for all the quarter-glass window that had been broken,” stated Thompson. He said that from information gathered a gang had carried out the offences his client was accused of. He also stated that the matter with Hope will be dissolved shortly and that while Craigan was not admitting to any of the offences, he would give Hope the $80,000 that he claimed to have lost.
Prosecutor Sherwin Matthews objected to the bail application on the grounds that if Craigan was granted bail he might commit similar offences. He said Craigan had been before the court for similar matters in the past and alleged that he had committed some of the offences while he was on bail. Matthews also stated that the police had uplifted Craigan’s fingerprints from the vehicles mentioned in the charges and they had arrested him accordingly. He went on to say that Craigan had even taken the police to the place where he hid some of the stolen items.
However, Craigan stated that he had three matters with five charges that were all dismissed previously since the police had insufficient information to prosecute him and the only reason he had been denied bail in September was because the prosecution had informed the court that there were other charges against him. The magistrate had then adjourned the matter to the following day.
When Craigan appeared back in court on Tuesday he still denied the accusations brought against him. He stated that Smith had wanted compensation for his loss but that “I have been misled since day one” about all the cases since according to him he had not committed any of the crimes.
The magistrate subsequently placed Craigan on bail in the sum of $240, 000 and ordered that he appear back in court on January 26.