Magistrates' Court.

Ernest Hayes Johnston, 40, of Fenton's Drive, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to stealing the scooter which was valued at $79.99.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines told the court that on November 28 of last year Johnston was spotted walking around the aisles of Shelly Bay MarketPlace "acting suspiciously''.

Johnston then approached the checkout counter but did not pay for anything.

The scooters were on the opposite side of the checkout counter near the door.

Johnston grabbed a scooter and started to walk out. He was approached by a worker at the store and asked to produce a receipt. Mr. Caines told the court that Johnston then ran out the door and jumped on a waiting motorcycle and sped away.

Johnston told acting Senior Magistrate Edward King that he gave the scooter to a young boy he knew. "I was kind of intoxicated at the time,'' Johnston said.

"The young one was crying for the bike (scooter) and I took it up and gave it to him.'' Mr. King fined Johnston $250 and sentenced him to 28 days in prison, suspended for two years.

STORE WORKER STOLE MEAT CTS Store worker stole meat Stealing pork chops, frozen chicken breasts and T-bone steaks with a total value of $55.34 from Lindo's Family Foods in Warwick ended up costing a thief $250.

Franklin Furbert, 36, of Radnor Road, Hamilton Parish pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to stealing the meat on March 5 of this year.

Furbert, who was employed at Lindo's at the time, told acting Senior Magistrate Edward King that he stole the meat after he became angry over being falsely accused of a different theft earlier the same day.

"Instead of taking it with a grain of salt I let my emotions get the best of me, which was real idiotic of me,'' he said.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines told the court that Police responded to a panic alarm at the store to find Furbert being held by a trio of store managers in a storage room at the back of the store. Furbert also pleaded not guilty to two assault charges on Monday and will face trial in June.