A magistrate has found that compensation in the amount of $100 was sufficient punishment for two teenagers who pleaded guilty to larceny.
Acting Chief Magistrate Dexter Wason told the two 19-year-old Cooks Estate young women that he was also going to reprimand and discharge them for the offence.
The duo was arrested and charged by the police for stealing groceries from a Cooks New Extension business on February 11 this year.
Reports are that the teenagers stole items valuing $83.50 which included three large tins of evaporated milk and two bags of brown sugar.
The young women entered the business about 5:25pm going from shelf to shelf and taking up groceries. They paid for some, but the next day the business owner — while going through video surveillance — observed the teenagers placing some items directly into a bag.
Footage showed that the items that were placed in the bag had not been paid for. A report was made to the Gray’s Farm Police Station and on March 4 both teens were questioned at the station where they admitted to committing the offence.
They were arrested and charged. The police told the court that the groceries had not been recovered.
Acting Chief Magistrate Wason called the teenagers’ action foolish, and asked them whether they are aware that most businesses in Antigua, including small shops, have security cameras.
Wason was concerned that one of the teenagers, who is the mother of one, is employed as a cashier. However, she said that at the time of the offence she was unemployed and had only gotten the job recently.
The magistrate advised both young women, one of whom is unemployed, that this conviction would be on their record for the next seven years until it is expunged.
He advised the cashier that she was at risk of losing her job, which he deemed to be punishment enough.
“Having a stain on your record is sufficient punishment,” Wason said.
The teenagers have 30 days to pay the compensation or face 30 days’ jail time.
