Buried stash

Former La Romana Jewellers employee David Anderson McDonald Reeves has admitted to burglarising the establishment of over $207,000 in jewellery, some of which he buried and also $410 cash.

The owner of the store Ajan Lalwani reported to police that someone entered the establishment between September 10 and 12, 2016 and made away with his merchandise.

Today in the No. 2 Supreme Court before Justice Randall Worrell, the 44-year-old Reeves of Weekes Land, Goodland, St Michael pleaded guilty to the crime saying that he took the items from the store. Included were 31 gold and diamond rings; 105 gold chains; 14 gold chains and pendants; 24 pairs of gold bangles; 20 gold bracelets; 228 pairs of gold earrings; 19 gold anklets; 40 gold pendants; 82 silver bangles;152 watches, eight pearl sets and 30 silver chains.

Police investigations revealed that Reeves gained entry to the store, opened the display cases, took the items and placed them in garbage bags before making his escape.

He was subsequently taken into custody where he was asked if he had anything to say after Lalwani identified some of the items which were recovered still bearing the price tags.

“I am sorry for what I do and I will try to get back the rest for you,” he said and admitted that he was the sole perpetrator of the crime.

“Nobody else helped me. I do everything myself,” he stated. Reeves subsequently took police to 2nd Avenue Alleyne’s Land, Bush Hall, St Michael where he had “stashed” the jewellery.

He also gave police a statement.

“Officer I on cocaine and I wanted money so I  . . . went in the store and move with the things.”

In the statement he also told police that he dug a hole in the yard and put the jewellry in a bucket and before burying it.

However, when he accompanied officers to the area the bucket with the items was not found, Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis said in outlining the facts.

A probation report has been ordered on Reeves in preparation for sentencing.

He returns to court on September 13 when his time on remand at Dodds will also be disclosed to the court.