Watch ‘trap’ thief jailed for 21 days

A man, who claimed he stole a watch because he knew it was a trap, was yesterday sent to prison for 21 days after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Forty-two-year-old Damian James of 32 West La Penitence Housing Scheme, pleaded guilty after he was accused of stealing one Extreme waterproof watch valued $3,500.

According to the defendant, he had picked up the watch from the ground and had known that he was being observed by a salesgirl of the store.

The man continued that he believed that the watch had been a trap laid for him and, instead of giving back the watch, he instead left the store with it to observe the reaction of the salesgirl.

James was later apprehended by a man and claimed that he was beaten by multiple persons. James also admitted that he had been charged several times before for shoplifting and had stolen bicycles on at least two occasions.

After gesturing at the court and exclaiming that everyone there was his family, the man was sentenced to 21 days imprisonment by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.