A mother begged the courts for help yesterday after turning in her own son for stealing.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, arrived home one night last week to find the house safe had been broken into and cash and belongings taken.

Magistrates' Court heard she immediately became suspicious of her 16-year-old son, who was not home, and she and the boy's stepfather called Police.

The Pembroke boy was cautioned by Police last Friday, and he admitted damaging the safe with a crowbar and hammer, and taking about $100 in cash along with a silver chain and bracelet and his own CDs, which his mother had confiscated earlier.

He also admitted stealing $10 from her earlier that same day.

Yesterday, the teenager appeared in court where he pleaded guilty to the two charges of damage and stealing.

Throughout the hearing, he smirked and looked on nonchalantly as his mother asked the courts for help.

She said her son needed discipline.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves read the boy's file and told the mother that it seemed she had done all she could do, but that her son had complied with nothing.

The woman said her son was bright with average marks in all of his subjects, but was simply on a self-destructive path.

She said: "I'm trying to request ongoing counselling. He will not attend on his own and I can't force him to go. He's an angry boy and he needs consistency in an ongoing environment.

"The path he has chosen to take, he knows is a negative one, but he does not care for himself or anyone else."

The mother said Probation Services was trying to request some residential care for her son from Residential Treatment Services, but said he had already been turned down once.

She said taking him home was not the answer because he had so much anger for her and her husband.

"Our biggest fear is that if he is let go he's going to go missing," she added.

"It's what he's done in the past - it's easy for him not to report home for 24 hours. I'm not willing to take him and I don't think it's a good idea. He's very angry and I don't think anything is going to change in the home.

"I don't know what the court can provide in terms of keeping him somewhere, but if there is something, I would say that's the safest place for him right now."

Mr. Greaves agreed her son seemed to have problems.

He ordered a social inquiry report, and remanded him in custody at the Co-Ed facility for two days. He said a firm decision on what to do with him would be made in Plea Court on Wednesday, when the report was done and Residential Treatment Services had given an answer.

He said: "I think he needs to take a rest away from family for the time being. Maybe that will shake him up."