Man remanded over cell phone theft from electronics store

A 45-year-old man was on Wednesday remanded to prison after pleading not guilty to stealing a cell phone from A&N Electronics.

Renwrick Gary of Lot 1 Section C Wismar, Christianburg is alleged to have stolen on February 13 at Robb Street one LG cell phone valued $45,000, property of Shofeera Mohamed.

However Gary told the court he is being accused for something he did not do. According to him he went to the store with two female companions who wanted to buy a phone. After looking at the phone, the man said that the women changed their minds.

On the day in question, Gary said, he went into another shop to buy a phone card when the Virtual Complainant accused him of stealing the phone. He then told the court that he had ordered the phone the previous day but left to change his money and the phone apparently went missing.

Gary’s version was contested by the VC who said she was the sales representative at A&N Electronics the day Gary came to purchase the phone. She said that he asked for the phone identified in the charge along with another phone and a memory card.

He then asked for a bill, the VC said, and when she turned around to get the bill book and was prepared to write the man a bill he told her that he had to change US money and ran out of the store.

The VC said when she was replacing the phone in the display case she realised that it was not in the box which was on the counter.

The following day she said she saw the defendant at another store and when he recognised her he again ran away. She said that she got help from persons in the area in apprehending the man.

She further told the court that while pretending to buy the phone, the defendant gave his name as Patrick Henry and at the Brickdam Police Station she said that he gave his address as Lover’s Lane, Linden.

Meanwhile, Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford told the court that the man had also told the police that he lives in Suriname. Further, Telford told the court that the name the defendant had given the VC, was that of a dead thief from Linden.

Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson refused the man bail after listening to the submissions. Gary is to return to Court 10 where his trial will begin.