“Chain snatchers” who were brought before the court

Jul 10, 2022 News

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The Court Journal

By Renay Sambach

Kaieteur News – For those living and/or working in Georgetown, they are well aware that chain snatching is a regular feature, and so this week I am highlighting some matters in which persons were charged for the criminal act.

Just recently, 32-year-old Sherman Ken of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was sentenced to two years imprisonment for assaulting and stealing a woman’s chain. Ken had appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly.

He pleaded guilty to the charge which states that on June 21, 2022, at Brickdam Access Road, Georgetown, he robbed Farida Ali of a gold chain with a pendant valued $28,000. It was also stated that he violently attacked the victim during the encounter.

The court heard that on the day in question, Ali was walking along Brickdam when Ken pushed her and snatched her chain. He then punched her about her body and ran away. The woman subsequently raised an alarm and a city police rank in the area managed to apprehend the defendant. A search was conducted and the stolen items were discovered.

In March, a man was sentenced to nine months in jail for an attack in which he and another man, who was on a motorcycle, robbed a woman in the East La Penitence, Georgetown area.

The man, Troy Baird, 22, of 216 South Road, was sentenced by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Baird pleaded guilty to the charge which states that on March 26, 2022, at Freeman Street, East La Penitence, he stole a gold chain valued $47,000 and a Samsung cell phone valued $120,000, the property of Jacqueline Forde.

The court heard that Baird was the pillion rider on a motorcycle ridden by another man when they snatched the woman’s chain. After the chain snatching, Forde’s phone fell and Baird picked up the phone before the duo escaped on the motorcycle.

A similar matter was brought to the court this month. In this matter, a mason is accused of robbing a man of his phone and gold chain.

The defendant, Terrence Bastiani, 26, of Albouystown, Georgetown had appeared before Chief Magistrate McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge which states that on February 20, 2021, at James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, while being in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Delon Walcott of a phone valued $200,000 and one gold chain valued $110,000.

The Police Prosecutor had related to the court that Bastiani was positively identified by the complainant, and it was noted that the two men are known to each other.

On the day in question, Walcott and his girlfriend were standing at the corner of James Street when Bastiani held them up at gunpoint. During the process, Bastiani relieved Walcott of the items.

In another case, 23-year-old Miguel Blackman of Red Road, Sophia, Greater Georgetown appeared before Chief Magistrate McLennan when he admitted that on May 15, 2021, at Water Street, Georgetown, he stole a gold chain valued at $60,000 from Trevannah Haywood.

The court heard that on the day in question, Haywood was walking in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market area when Blackman approached her and snatched her chain from around her neck. The woman had chased after Haywood, who eventually fell.

Public-spirited citizens came to her aid and apprehended Blackman and escorted him to the Stabroek Police Outpost.

In hopes of seeking leniency from the Chief Magistrate, Blackman said, “I had a rough life growing up, and no one by my side.”

He further added that he became frustrated and stole the woman’s chain because a man from whom he’d borrowed money was asking him to return it. He also apologised to Haywood.

However, the Chief Magistrate made it clear to Blackman that nothing in life comes easy. She had even advised him that he should consider taking a loan from a bank or other financial institution should he need money in the future.

The Chief Magistrate sentenced the father of two to three months’ imprisonment for the crime.

Back in May 2021, Daniel McArthur, then 19, of 27 Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was charged for stealing two gold chains. The charge stated that on the April 29, 2021, at North Road in Georgetown, the teen stole from Janetta Morris two gold chains worth $224,000.

The court heard that on the day in question, while waiting on a bus at North Road in Georgetown, the teen snatched two gold chains from the woman’s neck and ran. He was then chased by a bus conductor and other persons who witnessed the crime.

According to reports, McArthur was arrested after he was positively identified by Morris. He said to police, “Yes I did grabble the lady chain but I ain’t got it here.”

McArthur is no stranger to the courtroom. He was arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Daly who’d revoked his bail and remanded him to prison until April 28, 2020. The court had heard then that the defendant was held for questioning at the Sparendaam Police Station in relation to another robbery matter.

A year before that, the teen had made his first court appearance on October 25, 2019, before Senior Magistrate Daly. He was jointly charged for allegedly robbing Ethan Muckoo on October 17, 2019, at Camp Street, Georgetown, of a Samsung Galaxy cell phone valued at $280,000, and an $80,000 iPhone.

The defendants, McArthur, Shawn Inniss and Harcarlaus Harris, all denied the charge after it was read to them. McArthur was also charged separately for robbing Juliet Wills of a brown handbag valued $5,000, a cell phone valued $65,000 and $2,000 cash on October 11, 2019.

 

 

 

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