Thief gets 18 months for stealing shoes

Had it not been for the number of times Akeem Ricardo Griffith had already committed robbery, he might have been given yet another chance. But after reviewing his criminal record, Magistrate Douglas Frederick declared him “a reputed house breaker and robber” who had been given enough chances.

Griffith, 28, of Montrose, Silver Hill, Christ Church, had just confessed to breaking into Norma Howell’s house on February 7 and stealing a $150 pair of shoes. His sentence was 18 months in jail.

Station Sergeant Carrison Henry told the District ‘’A’ Magistrates’ Court that police received a call to go to Roberts Road, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael and as they arrived, they saw Griffith running away with a black haversack on his back. They gave chase and Griffith’s bag fell. It was retrieved and the homeowner was able to positively identify her shoes.

“I plead guilty this morning because I ain’t come here to waste your time. I get into a little trouble when I was 18; I get into a little more trouble when I was a little older. I plead guilty to more trouble last year,” Griffith said during his address to the court.

“I sorry for what I do. But when I went to the house I thought it was abandoned. I live in that area and I never see nobody ‘round that house before,” he stressed.

“So that is how you do it nowadays?” asked Magistrate Douglas Frederick. “You don’t see anybody so you go in?”

“What do you do for a living?” Frederick questioned.

When Griffith replied that he was an autobody repairman, the magistrate replied: “To be an autobody repairman you have to sand vehicles, wait for them to dry, paint them…you don’t have any time to work  because you too busy breaking into houses.”

In mitigation, Griffith told the court about his young son who he has  “got to deal wid”.

“Well when you get out, I want you to talk to your son. Tell him that the last time I broke into a house I got 18 months in jail. That is 18 months of my life that I can’t get back; so I don’t want you to do anything like that.”

“I will not let my son fall where I fall,” Griffith pledged