Man Jailed for Stealing Whisky from Belize City Store

A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing a bottle of whisky from a Belize City business.  Karon Santos appeared unrepresented before a Magistrate in Court yesterday where he admitted to the theft of a one-litre bottle of Johnnie Walker Double Scotch whisky valued at $136.28, property of James Brodies & Company Limited at Mile 2½ on the Philip Goldson Highway.  The court heard that on February 2 at around 10:30 a.m., a security officer observed Santos enter the store’s liquor section, remove the bottle from the shelf and walk out of the establishment without paying. He was immediately intercepted outside and searched, and the item was recovered in his possession. Police were called and he was taken into custody and later charged.  Santos asked the court for leniency and requested a fine instead of imprisonment, but the Magistrate imposed a four-month custodial sentence.  The court also noted that Santos is known to the court and has a robbery matter pending trial, and had previously served time for a similar offence last year.