Uriel Amsterdam, who blamed his intoxicated state for him stealing a woman’s jewellery, was on Monday fined $100,000 for the offence.
Amsterdam, 22, of Fort Ordinance Housing Scheme, East Canje Berbice, pleaded guilty to the charge that stated that on March 17, at Second Avenue, Bartica, he stole a pair of earrings, a gold chain and nine finger rings, which had a total value of $268,000, from the person of Farida Mohammed.
Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore told the city court of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that Mohammed and Amsterdam were at a bar, when she told the accused that she was about to close and that he should leave. Moore said Amsterdam then snatched the jewellery that Mohammed was wearing at the time and escaped.
The prosecutor said that after a report was made to the Bartica Police Station, police ranks acted swiftly and caught Amsterdam, who was making his way to Parika, at Itaballi Landing. Moore told the court that a search was carried out on Amsterdam and the jewellery was recovered in his possession. The prosecutor said that the items were later identified by Mohammed as her possessions.
Amsterdam told the court that Mohammed had left her jewellery on a counter at the bar and he picked them up with the intention of selling them. He told Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that he was sorry for stealing the items as he was drunk at the time.
The Chief Magistrate ordered Amsterdam to pay a fine of $100,000, with an alternative of serving eight months in jail.
