Woman racks up more theft convictions

Known thief Keisha Melissa Clarke has been sentenced to nine months in prison on two charges.

The 32-year-old, of Quarry Road, Arthur Seat, St Thomas pleaded guilty before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant to stealing ten packs of biscuits, 12 packs of popcorn, 24 packs of corn chips, three cases of wafers and six packs of chips totaling $129 belonging to Sacha Bernard.

Prosecutor Victoria Taitt told the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court that Bernard sells snacks and other commodities. On February 9 she secured a shopping bag with the items inside the trunk of her car. However, when she thought it had been locked the vehicle’s central locking malfunctioned. On her return on February 10 she discovered her property missing and reported it to the police. Clarke was identified as a suspect.

Officer Taitt said only $17 worth of snacks was recovered along with the shopping bag. The prosecutor also revealed that the convict has 12 prior convictions, six of them for theft.

“The things were given back,” Clarke told Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant without any prompting. She was sentenced to three months in prison.

She also pleaded guilty to loitering on private property, namely the residence of Carl Applewaite with cause to suspect she was about to commit theft.

Officer Taitt revealed the Applewaite resides with his parents. In the wee hours of March, 19 he received a phone call from his mother informing him that someone or something was in the garage. He asked her to forward the video to his phone. He noticed a female figure pulling on the doors of the vehicles parked there before leaving.

Clarke was arrested and allegedly told police that she was “looking for change”.

Today, from the docks Clarke whose last conviction was in May last year declared: “I did not mean to do it, all two. I am begging the court for mercy.”

She was sentenced to six months in prison on the loitering charge which will run consecutively with the theft charge.