San Pedro Theft Convict Serving Six-Month Sentence Ordered to Repay Victim

A security guard convicted of theft is currently serving a six-month sentence after pleading guilty to stealing $578 from a San Pedro Town businessman. A resident of the Cayo District, Robert Emmanuel Popper, pleaded guilty to theft in court yesterday, three months after he was first arrested and charged. The court sentenced Popper to six months in prison and ordered him to pay back the full amount to the victim. The court decided to backdate Popper’s sentence to May 23, meaning he has already served over two months of the six-month sentence. The theft case was originally scheduled to go to trial in November. According to police reports, on January 27, Popper contacted businessman Macedonia Sanchez under the alias “Steve Foreman” and asked to borrow $600. Sanchez, a former police sergeant, is the owner of a security company. He told police he had $578 on him at the time, which he lent to Popper. He said Popper promised to pay him back later that same day.  The two men drove to a credit union where Popper said he would get the money to pay back Sanchez. However, when Sanchez stepped out of the vehicle, Popper disappeared with the cash. Sanchez reported the incident to police, and on May 23, he spotted Popper being escorted into a prison van outside the police station. Sanchez recognized him as the man who had stolen his money. Police then identified the man as Robert Emmanuel Popper, who was arrested and charged with theft.