Sentencing scheduled for tomorrow
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - RESIA CAINES and Neil Dalton, recently dubbed the Cheese Bandits, begged the court for leniency today (Feb. 20) after pleading guilty to larceny, an offence they committed February 12, 2012.
Appearing before Her Lordship Josephine Mallalieu at the Basseterre Magistrate's Court, Caines asked the magistrate to be lenient when handing down her sentence because she only committed the offence to assist in taking care of her three children.
When asked by the magistrate what she does for a living, Caines said she does massages for tourists on the beach and makes on average US$100 per day, but noted “right now jobs are hard to find”.
Dalton also begged for leniency, stating that he is a national of Guyana and “this is my first offence”.
The Guyanese said that he usually works on construction sites but is not able to do so at this time because his work permit was not renewed.
He however mentioned, “I am in the process of getting things sorted out” and told the court that he has been living with Caines for the past three years and plans are afoot for them to get married.
According to the facts presented in court, the couple was being monitored on surveillance camera upon entering Valu Mart IGA Supermarket on the day in question.
The couple was seen stealing and after some time had passed, they were approached by one of the managers and it was then that Caines attempted to flee the store.
The manager grabbed the bag which Caines was carrying and Dalton held the manager by his shirt and pushed him.
Caines then pushed the manager as well while saying “stop hold my bag”.
At that point, security came to the scene and the manager then took the bag from Caines, opened it in her presence and pointed to the item that was in the bag indicating that he was aware that they were attempting to steal and said that he would call the police.
Dalton requested to leave with two bags he and Caines had taken with them to the supermarket that they left at the bag holding area near the store’s exit, but his request was denied by the manager who told him to put the bags on the table.
The manager opened the bags and observed two small tins of cheddar cheese, two blocks of cheddar cheese, one tin of cooked chicken salami and two tubes of Colgate toothpaste. All items carried the logo of two other supermarkets - C&C Super Foods and King’s Pavilion Supermarket.
The manager at that point, being suspicious, contacted the managers of the other two supermarkets who told him that they did not sell the items discovered in the couple’s possession.
Police went to the scene, observed the couple’s activities on the surveillance camera and formerly arrested and charged them.
One of the investigating officers confirmed that Caines had stolen the salami as she had admitted taking from J's Shop and Save when questioned by police.
The officer also testified that Caines claimed to have bought the toothpastes from RAMS supermarket but had no receipt to show in support of the purchase.
The items stolen from King's Pavilion Supermarket were two blocks of Yellow Cheddar Cheese valued at EC$167.45 and one tin of cheese, weighing one kg, valued at EC44.52, totalling EC$211.97.
A tin of Red and Yellow Cheese valued at EC$46.22 was stolen from C&C Super Foods, while one tin of Three Men Cooked Chicken Salami valued at EC$32.64 was stolen from J's Shop and Save.
The couple attempted to steal a 2.2kgs tin of Crest Processed Cheese, valued at EC$96.65, from Valu Mart IGA Supermarket where they were eventually caught.
The sentencing of Caines and Dalton was delayed in order to allow the Immigration Department to make a decision on whether or not the Guyanese would be deported.
The Cheese Bandits were therefore remanded to Her Majesty's Prison until their sentencing hearing scheduled for tomorrow.
