A Sandys man was fined $500 after pleading guilty yesterday to stealing five bottles of liquor.

Ronald Wilson was charged with theft in Magistrates' Court before Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves. Police reported the 29-year-old man stole over $100 worth of alcohol from A1Marketplace in Smith's Parish.

Crown counsel Charmaine Smith said Wilson entered the store at 5.20 p.m. on May 20. The man went to the liquor section and placed five bottles under his blue raincoat. The incident was recorded on surveillance videotape.

The manager waited for Wilson to exit the store before confronting him. He did not comply with the manager's requests, and a struggle ensued. The manager was forced to ask for help by a fellow employee. Together they were able to place Wilson under citizen's arrest, though one of the employees received small cuts to his head.

Police arrived on the scene at 5.45 p.m. and escorted the suspect to the St. George's Police Station. At the station, they seized the bottles and his raincoat.

Mrs. Smith told Mr. Greaves that Wilson had seven prior convictions of similar theft. Mr. Greaves said: "You've really got to stop all this. Geez man! You've even stolen gasoline. Why would a man steal that? That kind of foolishness."

He ordered Wilson to pay a fine of $500 then or face five months in prison.