wallet from a man at a bus stop was sent to prison on Friday for four months.

Marcel Sheppard, 32, of Main Road in Sandys, pleaded guilty to the two charges in Magistrates' Court.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis told Sheppard: "You've got a terrible record, and you do not seem to be able to control yourself. You are a threat to anyone that has money.'' Insp. Peter Duffy, prosecuting, told the court that on July 3 at 8 p.m., Sheppard entered the MarketPlace in Somerset, approached a cashier, and asked if she could change a dollar.

"While the cash register was open, Sheppard reached over and snatched two $50 bills,'' Insp. Duffy said.

"During a struggle with the cashier, the bills ripped in half and Sheppard got away with two halves.'' Insp. Duffy said Sheppard admitted the MarketPlace theft after he was arrested last Wednesday. He said he had taped the torn bills together and used it to buy cocaine.

At the same time, Insp. Duffy said, Police discovered Sheppard had been involved in another theft after finding him with $65 in his pocket.

At 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sheppard was standing at the bus stop on Main Road outside of the Springfield Nursery in Sandys.

"A man walked over to the bus stop and began talking to Sheppard,'' he said.

"The man took out his wallet and removed two bus tickets. While talking to Sheppard he placed it on the wall. Sheppard grabbed the man's wallet, which contained $65, and ran into the nursery.

After his arrest, Sheppard directed officers to an abandoned house in Sandys where he had hidden the wallet.

Insp. Duffy told the court that Sheppard had previous convictions for dishonesty.

Mr. Francis sentenced Sheppard to three months in prison for stealing $100 from the MarketPlace, which would run concurrently with a four month prison sentence for stealing the wallet.

A Warwick woman pleaded guilty to stealing $550 in cash from a woman for whom she was babysitting.

Insp. Peter Duffy told Magistrates' Court that on the morning of May 29, Fredrina M. Darrell of Khyber Heights Lane went to Mrs. Shirleen Jones' home to look after her daughter.

Mrs. Jones hid the money in front of Darrell and left for the day. After returning home that afternoon, she discovered the money was missing.

Upon being questioned, Darrell denied taking the cash and Police were called.

Darrell, 22, was later arrested and confessed to taking the money. She blamed the incident on changes she was experiencing since her boyfriend had died.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis called for a social inquiry before sentencing Darrell.