Salvation Army kettle thief placed on bond

A woman who stole one of the kettles used in the Salvation Army in their annual Christmas appeal has been placed on bond.

Susan Solomon, a resident of Barrouallie was also reprimanded and discharged for stealing a bucket of tri tri when she appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Senior Magistrate Colin John.

Solomon pleaded guilty that on November 14, 2023 at Granby Street, Kingstown, she stole one plastic bucket valued EC$5.00 containing a quantity of tri tri valued EC$500, a total value of $505, the property of Augustus George of Layou.

According to the facts read in court by PC 196 Constantine, on Tuesday, November 14 at about 12:00 pm George went to Kingstown Cooperative Credit Union (KCCU) located at Granby Street, Kingstown. He placed the bucket on the side walk outside the building and went inside the KCCU to ask if anyone wanted to buy tri tri.

About five minutes later, George returned and discovered that his bucket was missing. He reported the matter to the police at the Criminal Investigations Department(CID).

During investigations, PC 105 Castello obtained and viewed CCTV footage of the incident from the Telecommunications Department and saw Solomon dressed in a yellow shirt with a green shopping bag over her shoulder taking the bucket and walking away.

When Solomon was questioned at the police station, she said: “Officer I meet the bucket outside by KCCU. I look up first and I see the Security Guard turn his back, so I take up the bucket and carry it in the parking lot and leave it behind a car.”

Constantine also read the facts of Solomon’s second charge, that on November 23, 2023 at Hillsboro Street, Kingstown, she stole one red kettle valued USD$92 containing EC$150 in cash, the property of the Salvation Army of Kingstown.

The facts read that a volunteer who was placed in front of Coreas City Store left at about 1:30 pm to use the bathroom inside of the Coreas store. When she returned she saw that the kettle was missing, which was seven minutes after her departure. She started to enquire from persons in the area about what became of the kettle, after which, she reported the matter to the police.

Investigations were carried out, and both the kettle and Solomon were handed over into police custody. Video footage of the offence was also obtained, and Solomon was cautioned and interviewed by the police. She admitted to the offence and was subsequently charged. No money was recovered from the kettle.

After the facts were read, Solomon told the court that she does not know what happened to the money, and that she flung the kettle into Coreas after seeing the police.

However, Prosecutor Corlene Samuel said that no where in the footage did it show that the kettle was flung into Coreas store. She added that there were stabs and cuts about the bucket with what appeared to be a knife.

It was also mentioned that Solomon suffers from mental issues. Solomon said that when she does not take her medication, she tends to act irrationally.

The magistrate then warned Solomon, “When you see people thing, leave it.”

He then reprimand and discharged Solomon for the offence concerning the stolen tri tri, but placed her on a bond in the sum of $1,000 with a default of six months imprisonment for the offence in which she stole from the Salvation Army.

He further advised her, “you have to take control of your life” and “you have to make sure you take your treatment”.