Postby Who need enemy » September 10th, 2014, 10:46 pm
2 jailed, 2 fined for robbery
Baby milk stolen from South supermarket
Story Created: Sep 9, 2014 at 10:33 PM ECT
Story Updated: Sep 10, 2014 at 10:14 AM ECT
Three women and a man of Gonzales, Port of Spain, yesterday pleaded guilty to robbing S&S Supermarket in Naparima\Mayaro Road last Saturday, resulting in two of them being fined $8,000 and the other two receiving custodial sentences totalling 18 months.
Akeel Coward, 30; Susan Coward, 44; and Sherma Coward, 46; all of Rudolph Charles Link Road, Gonzales, appeared alongside Hazel-Ann Griffith, 46, of Maxwell Lane, East Dry River, before Senior Magistrate Armina Deonarinesingh in the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court.
All four pleaded guilty to robbing the supermarket of several items including baby formula, pasta and Angostura bitters.
Following submissions to the court, Deonarinesingh fined Susan Coward and Hazel-Ann Griffith $4,000 each or in default serve five months with hard labour.
Due to prior convictions, Sherma Coward was sentenced to six months hard labour while Akeel Coward was sentenced to 12 months hard labour.
According to police reports, around 12.45 p.m. on Saturday, the manager of the supermarket observed the women and man enter the building and began placing several grocery items into a shopping cart. The manager became suspicious and followed one of the women through the grocery. He observed her placing the items into her personal bag and then leaving the store.
He followed her and saw the man who had accompanied them walk out of the grocery and proceed to a van which he opened and assisted the woman in placing the grocery items into the vehicle. The other two women also took items to the van following which they all left in the vehicle.
The manager however, got into his own vehicle and followed the group while notifying Sgt Mohammed of the Eastern Division of what was transpiring.
The policeman in turn contacted his colleagues at the Tableland Police Station and, under the supervision of Senior Supt Sacenarine Mahabir, a road block was set up and the vehicle with all four occupants was intercepted.
In the vehicles, the officers discovered all the items which were reported stolen and as a result all four were arrested and charged.