Three years for chain-snatching spree

Robbing four women of their chains in a ‘snatch and go’ spree has resulted in a Bartletts Tenantry, Sargeant’s Village, man being sentenced to three years in prison, less the time he has spent on remand.

Mario Leon Harris appeared before Acting Magistrate Shakieda Sealy and admitted robbing Makiya Brathwaite of a chain valued at $5 000 on November 5, 2024; Kerrie Blackman-Francis of two chains valued at $4 500; Shanice Jordan of a $500 chain; and Destiny Coward of a $100 chain less than two weeks later, on January 4, 2025.

Sergeant Kenmore Phillips said Brathwaite had been walking along Broad Street when she spotted a man standing close to the Royal Shop. He walked past her, but soon afterwards she felt a tug on her chain from behind. She turned and saw that it was the same man. He ran off, and Brathwaite received scratches on her neck.

Blackman-Francis was walking towards her car after conducting business in Wildey when Harris grabbed her from behind, pushed her onto the vehicle and broke off her chain before jumping on his bicycle and riding away.

Regarding Jordan’s case, she was on Roebuck Street when she felt someone grab her neck. The incident was caught on CCTV.

Coward was walking towards River Road and leaned against a wall while awaiting transport when Harris passed by, wearing a surgical mask. He sat on the same wall and began scooting closer to her. She moved, but he again scooted closer before eventually jumping off the wall and trying to take her handbag. A struggle ensued and, upon realising that he would be unsuccessful with the bag, he grabbed her chain and ran through Nelson Street.

Senior Counsel Andrew Pilgrim pointed out that all the instances were “snatch and go”, with some degree of violence. But Harris had been on remand for “some time”, had accepted responsibility and had admitted to the offences.

Magistrate Sealy sentenced him to three years in prison, less his remand time, for the two offences against Brathwaite and Blackman-Francis, to run concurrently, and to time served on the other charges.