admitted stealing $180 from a supermarket this week.

Marcel (Itchie) Sheppard, 32, of Somerset Road, Sandys, pleaded guilty to snatching the money from a cashier's till at Arnold's Supermarket in Somerset on March 17.

Sheppard told Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis that he committed the offence after becoming tempted by friends with cocaine.

The court heard he entered the store at 7.20 p.m. and asked the cashier to change a $1 note into coins.

"As the lady took the $1, opened her cash register, and counted out the quarters,'' prosecuting, Sgt. Peter Giles said, "Sheppard put his hand in the till and grabbed a handful of $20 bills and ran out of the store.'' Sheppard was arrested at his home later that day and taken to the Somerset Police Station where he "frankly'' admitted the offence.

He told Police he used the money to buy crack cocaine.

Sgt. Giles said Sheppard had received drug addiction counselling and was supposed to have been off drugs for about a year.

Sheppard, who did construction work, has a criminal record dating back to 1987 with convictions for stealing.

Before being sentenced he told Mr. Francis: "When you're off drugs for a long time and have a group of guys running to you, saying look what I've got "Itchie'', it's hard.

"I just knock it away. But then I gave in and said give me one for $30.'' Sheppard said he bought the crack with a half-day's pay.

After smoking it, he said: "I went down and changed this coin for four quarters, then she bent down and I snatched it and just ran off.'' While noting Sheppard had a "terrible record'', Mr. Francis said: "I will give you credit for your frank admission and give you six months in prison.'' A 26-year-old Pembroke man, who was already serving time for breaking and entering and stealing, was yesterday sentenced to six months in prison for a similar offence.

Clyde Wilbur Burt, of Curving Avenue, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to breaking into Leslie W. Wilson Cycle Shop on December 9 with intent to steal.

Burt, at 6.15 a.m. that day, unscrewed a window blind and forced open a window at the shop on Union Street in Hamilton, prosecuting Sgt. Peter Giles said.

By doing this, Burt activated the shop's alarm, bringing Police to the scene.

Burt had escaped, but Police found and arrested him three days later.

Burt, who had convictions for similar sentences dating back to 1990, was serving nine months since February 26 for another offence.

Duty counsel Mr. Archie Warner pointed out that Burt also wanted yesterday's matter dealt with in February, but the necessary documents were not ready.

"He would have been entitled to a concurrent sentence,'' Mr. Warner told Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis. "And he's here today, not wasting the court's time. He's remorseful and I ask that his sentence run concurrent with the nine months he's serving.'' Mr. Francis sentenced Burt to six months which is to run concurrently with the nine-month term.