Two men who targeted the same Shell gas station for their shoplifting activities were yesterday fined with the alternative of time in jail when they appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan.
Derrick Persaud and Michael Ashby both had their separate but similar cases dispensed with at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
It was alleged that at approximately 13:00 hrs on March 25, Persaud went into the Shell Mini-mart at Regent and King streets, where he proceeded to steal one tyre gel valued $1,540 and a bottle of Ovaltine valued at $1,445, amounting to a total of $3,015. The 53-year-old man attempted to escape when he was accosted by the security guards on duty. The items were then discovered on his person.
The court was told that Persaud had been charged and convicted on a similar offence on May 8, 2013; he was found guilty of theft from Bounty Supermarket. Persaud was found guilty and fined $50,000 or 6 months imprisonment.
A day after Persaud’s attempted theft, 47-year-old Ashby, who is a vendor by profession, entered the very same Shell mini-mart and stole 2 Cadbury chocolates valued at $750. He was spotted by a staff member who raised an alarm.
While attempting to flee Ashby was caught by public-spirited citizens at which point the items were recovered from him. He was fined $30,000 with the alternative of 5 months imprisonment.
