A 28 year old man who has been convicted 19 times was sentenced to prison for entering a police officer’s home with the intent to commit the offence of theft.

Alex Alexander of Largo Heights appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate, Colin John where he pleaded guilty to entering the apartment of Jomo Toppin of Lodge Village as a trespasser with intent to commit the offence of theft.

According to the facts,Toppin, who is serving as a member of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force currently lives with his girlfriend in an apartment at the downstairs of a two storey concrete house. On Wednesday February 7, 2024 at about 6:00 p.m Alexander secured the apartment leaving everything intact and went to Karaoke with his girlfriend. At about 11:15 p.m on that day, Toppin and his girl friend returned home and met the entrance door to the apartment opened.

He entered the house through the open door, turned on the lights and met Alexander who he knows well, exiting his bedroom with a brown one strap bag in his hands. Toppin then asked Alexander what he was doing in his apartment. Alexander said he was feeling hungry and wanted something to eat, so he broke into the apartment to look for food.

The virtual complainant apprehended him and contacted the police at the Criminal Investigation Department via his cellphone and reported the matter. PC 427 Henry responded to the scene and met Alexander in the house. Toppin had a conversation with PC Henry in respect of the report and handed over a brown one strap shoulder bag to him.

This was kept as an exhibit, and Alexander was arrested on suspicion for burglary and taken to the CID. A statement was recorded from Toppin in writing. PC Henry later cautioned and interviewed Alexander in the presence of PC 556 Nimblet, but Alexander gave no statement. PC Henry subsequently arrested and charged Alexander for the offence of Burglary with intent.

Senior Magistrate, Colin John reminded Alexander that he had been convicted 19 times, and 17 of these were offences of dishonesty. John considered his guilty plea, his previous convictions, the time he had spent on remand, and the fact that he entered into someone else’s sanctity. John then sentenced Alexander to six months in prison.