stole more than $1,400 worth of goods from a friend's home.

Jevon Reid Daniels, 18, of Rose Hill, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court on Monday to stealing two gold rings, a gold bracelet, a pair of boots and two shirts from Michael Smith.

Daniels, who missed a previous court appearance, said he was abroad and added: "I thought the charges were dropped. Me and the guy are cool now.'' Crown counsel Graveney Bannister said Mr. Smith left his home at 7.30 a.m. on January 7 to go to work. When he returned at 7 p.m., he discovered that someone had broken into his home.

On the morning of January 15, Mr. Smith saw Daniels' brother, who was wearing one of the stolen shirts, talking with a friend.

Mr. Smith called Police, who got a search warrant for Daniels' house where they recovered two of the shirts and the pair of boots. Daniels admitted to getting a ladder from the back of Mr. Smith's house and climbing in through the window. He said his brother did not know the shirt was stolen when he borrowed it.

Daniels told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that although he was sent to prison in the past for similar offences, he recently got a job and enrolled in night classes two weeks ago.

"The guy (Mr. Smith) has been paid back with interest and he forgave me. I'm just on the verge of getting my life together and I just need one chance,'' he said.