Belmont resident fined $294 for avocado theft

It was only after Ranzo Lee realized that he was about to be arrested for stealing 147 avocados that he did what he should have done in the first place – offer to pay the owner for her fruit.{{more}}

Lee, a resident of Belmont, appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and was ordered to pay compensation of $294 in three weeks or spend three months in jail.

He pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court heard that on August 9, at about 6:15 p.m., Joyce King, a resident of Belmont and owner of the avocado tree, inspected it and discovered that the tree had borne quite a lot of fruit.

The following day, at about 7:15 a.m., after receiving information that someone had picked her fruit, she made checks and discovered that the avocados were indeed missing.

After carrying out her own investigations, King journeyed to Kingstown, where she met Lee with two sacks of avocados.

When she confronted him, he denied that he had stolen them, saying he got the pears from somewhere else.

A report was then made to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and PC 333 Bowens went with King so that she could identify Lee.

When cautioned, Lee told the officer “I pick the avocados and will pay her back.”

He was subsequently taken into custody and charged.

In addition to paying compensation, magistrate Carla James placed Lee on a one-year bond in the sum of $1,500 or four months in jail.(KW)