Hidden guards

Two security guards who were on duty at the Oldbury bond in St Philip eight years ago when thousands of dollars’ worth of lumber was stolen, testified on Tuesday that they hid and did not confront the thieves when they saw them that night.

They were giving evidence when the trial of theft accused Keith Andrew Leacock of Shorey Village, St Michael began in the No. 5 Supreme Court.

It is alleged that Leacock along with other unknown persons stole 277 pieces of lumber valued $11 809.74 belonging to Furniture Limited.

David Springer, who worked with a security firm back then, testified that he had been hired the week prior and it was his first day of work at the bond which he said belongs to Mrs Ram Mirchandi.

He disclosed that he worked the 5 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. shift with Derick Alleyne who showed him around and how to patrol the area. During the course of the night, Springer said Alleyne told him he was going to take rest.

Springer said he then started to make another sweep of the compound alone.

“So I was walking . . . and I saw a shadow. I know it supposed to be two people in the yard at that time. Mr Alleyne was in the truck, just an old truck in the yard, taking his rest. I saw this shadow . . . . When I step further I see a couple more men with some lumber,” Springer stated.

He told the nine jurors hearing the case in the court presided over by Madam Justice Pamela Beckles that he went back and told Alleyne what he had seen.

“He tell me ‘well, don’t go down there, them men might be armed’,” Springer said, adding that Alleyne also told him there was no landline available and neither of them had credit on their cell phones to make calls.

Principal State Counsel Krystal Delaney who is prosecuting the case along with State Counsel Kevin Forde asked the witness what he did after.

“I tell Mr Alleyne I going and hide . . . . I went and hide under the truck . . . about an hour to two hours. After he [Alleyne] ain’t come out the truck . . . . about an hour to two hours, I hear the gate open,” the witness replied, adding that it turned out to be his boss and police who had arrived.

“I was lying down on the ground . . . . They call us and I hesitate before I moved.”

When cross-examined by the accused, the security guard said he did not see the faces of the men who took the lumber.

“It was two men . . . . I didn’t see their face . . . . One was fairly tall and slim . . . never see their face . . . ,” he said.

Responding to another question, Springer said while that was not his last day working for the security company, “it was my last night at Oldbury because I tell them I ain’t going back there”.

In his testimony, Alleyne said that Springer came to him about 9:30 p.m. and told him that there were men on the compound.

Asked if he did anything following that report, Alleyne replied: “No, Ma’am, I was frightened”.

“The men . . . had big sticks. It was about three [men]. Men had big sticks and swords . . . . I ain’t get out the truck . . . . After that, my supervisor come,” he added.

Alleyne said he saw the men from a distance and did not see their faces.