A 38-year-old man has been remanded into custody after he admitted breaking into three Southampton properties and stealing items worth more than $4,500.

Appearing in Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning, Ernest Smith Jr, of no known address, also pleaded guilty to taking a motorcycle without consent.

Prosecutor Maria Sofianos told the court that on April 21, Smith trespassed at South Shore Hospitality at Horseshoe Bay, Southampton, and stole ten lighters and 30 packs of cigarettes, as well as food items, worth a total of $435.

On April 26, he trespassed at a South Road, Southampton, residence and stole two cellphones valued at $1,600. On that same date in Southampton, he also took a Honda BIZ without consent of the owner.

And on May 3, Smith trespassed at Wok Express and stole three boxes of various Rizzla cigarette papers and 31 cartons of cigarettes, worth a total of $2,655.

Ms Sofianos said that Smith turned himself in to police on May 4, stating that he was on drugs at the times he committed the offences.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo remanded Smith, a self-confessed drug addict, into custody, ordered a social inquiry report and a drug assessment and adjourned the matter to July 1 for sentencing.

In a separate matter, court reports were also ordered for a Devonshire man who admitted stealing 23 Christmas trees from Shelly Bay MarketPlace on December 25 last year.

Ms Sofianos told the court that Esra Barnett, 29, was employed at the store and was responsible for distributing the trees to customers who handed over their receipts as proof of purchase.

She said a staff member noticed that trees worth $89 had been given to people with receipts for $50 trees and that five trees were unaccounted for. The police were subsequently notified.

Ms Sofianos added that Barnett said that he felt bad for people who could not afford to buy a tree and that he offered to pay back the total value of $805, but that she had no proof if this had been done.

Mr Tokunbo ordered a social inquiry report and adjourned the matter to July 3, at which time Barnett will need to prove that he reimbursed the store. His bail was extended.

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