A man was fined $300 yesterday after he admitted stealing a knife from a hardware store.

Dennis Richardson, 29, pleaded guilty to the theft at a virtual session of Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that Richardson visited Gorham’s hardware store on St John’s Road, Pembroke and asked for access to a set of folding knives in a locked display case.

Richardson put the knives in a shopping basket and walked around the store before he went to the bathroom with the basket.

A security officer, who watched Richardson enter and leave the bathroom, saw him go to the front desk and ask for a plastic bag.

Richardson put his jacket in the bag and left the store.

Security officers stopped him as he left the building and asked to search his bag and found a $63 folding knife wrapped in a Gorham’s flyer under the jacket.

They called police and Richardson was arrested. He later admitted stealing the knife.

The incident happened on January 23.

Richardson, from Hamilton Parish, said that he took the knife because he did not have his wallet and could not pay.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo ordered him to pay the fine by May 14.

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