to three years in prison in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Ernest James Smith, 31, of Kilderry Estates, Smith's, pleaded guilty to eight burglaries between November and January and asked that 23 similar offences which he committed be taken into consideration.

"This is a very large lot of breaking and entering,'' said Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis. "I have to take into consideration the absolute alarm the public has with respect to this offence right now.'' In all, the 31 break-ins involved the theft of $2,290 in cash and property, of which only $127 has been recovered, Prosecutor Sgt. Donald Grant said.

Smith pleaded guilty to: breaking into a home in Pembroke with intent to steal on November 30; breaking into another Pembroke home on January 23 and stealing a briefcase containing papers and $250 cash; breaking into Windjammer Gallery with intent to steal on November 11; breaking into the store Teri-Lynn with intent to steal on December 23; breaking into Once Upon a Table and stealing $500 cash on January 20; breaking into Just Shirts with intent to steal on January 28; and breaking into Otis Elevator Company with intent to steal on January 28.

Mr. Francis sentenced Smith to one year in prison for those offences. And he sentenced Smith to another year in prison, to be served consecutively, for a January 12 break-in and theft at the Salvation Army headquarters on Reid Street.

Police responded to an alarm shortly before 5 a.m. and found a rear window broken, Sgt. Grant said. Officers spotted a man on the roof, and Smith was arrested after a short foot chase. Investigation showed that $180 in cash had been stolen from a desk drawer in a second-floor office, of which $127 was recovered.

Smith, who is single, unemployed, and lives with his parents, had initially pleaded not guilty to the Salvation Army break-in and was scheduled to stand trial on May 18. But yesterday, he changed his plea to guilty.

On top of the two one-year sentences, Mr. Francis activated a one-year suspended sentence that Smith had received in October of 1993 for earlier break-ins and thefts.

Sgt. Grant said Smith has a long record for similar offences, going back to 1976.

It was the break-in to Just Shirts that led to Smith's latest arrest, Sgt.

Grant said. Police responded to an alarm at the Par-la-Ville Road shop just before 3 a.m. on January 28, he said. They found a window had been smashed and a metal grill removed. Entry had been gained, but nothing was stolen.

Officers interviewed the security guard at The Royal Gazette nearby, who had seen a man near the premises. Based on his description, Police arrested Smith on Church Street a short time later. On checking the immediate area, officers found that Otis Elevator had also been burglarised, though nothing was stolen.

Initially, Smith denied everything. But in a later interview, he admitted to the above offences, plus 23 other break-ins and thefts, Sgt. Grant said.

Because the maximum sentence for an offence in Magistrates' Court is one year in prison, Sgt. Grant had asked that Mr. Francis send Smith to Supreme Court for sentencing.

"I think I can sentence him right here,'' Mr. Francis said before outlining the three consecutive sentences.