“I like stealing” serial armed robber tells Probation Officer

Mar 16, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

…as Magistrate orders psychiatric evaluation

Kaieteur News – Matthew Sylvain, the man who pleaded guilty to seven Robbery Under Arms (RUA) charges on March 1, 2024 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, has been sent for a psychiatric evaluation after he told his Probation Officer “I like stealing”.

Matthew Sylvain

The 20-year-old man was sent for the psychiatric evaluation by Chief Magistrate (ag) Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Friday when he returned to court for sentencing for five RUA charges.

However, following the presentation of a probation report in the court, the Magistrate concluded that a psychiatric evaluation must be completed before Sylvain’s sentence is imposed.

He is scheduled to return to court on April 12, 2024.

Senior Magistrate Leron Daly had sentenced Sylvain to four years’ imprisonment for two RUA charges.

Meanwhile, Kaieteur News had reported that Sylvain is accused of being involved in a series of RUA committed between February 21, 2024 and February 27, 2024.

According to one of the RUA charges laid against him, on February 27, 2024, at a Chinese restaurant, located on Hadfield Street, Georgetown and Louisa road, Sylvain, while being in company of another, and armed with a dangerous weapon that being a gun, robbed Adela Dosantos of one gold ring valued $24,000, one silver and diamond ring valued $120,000 and US$300 in cash (GYD$60,000), totaling the sum of $204,000.

Sylvain is also accused of robbing Shelly Peters of one gold chain valued $370,000, $13,700 cash and TTD$2,770 cash (GYD$67,000), total value being $421,400.

He is also accused of committing RUA on February 21, 2024 at Lot 56 Back Street, Peters Hall, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Sylvain whilst in the company of another, robbed Delon Mcbeth of one blue and black 110 Haejue motorcycle, valued $211,000.

Another RUA charge leveled against Sylvain, related that on February 22, 2024, at Enmore, ECD, acting in consort with others, and armed with a handgun, he robbed a Chinese Supermarket.

The charge stated that Sylvain robbed Wei Zu Chen, a Chinese national of $500,000, two bottles of Johnny Walker whiskey valued $20,000, one bottle of Hennessy cognac valued $25,000, two haversacks valued $10,000, one carton of Pall Mall cigarettes valued $6000, and a quantity of Digicel and GTT phone cards valued $100,000, total valued being $661,000. It is also alleged that Sylvain robbed Shantie Mohan, a staff of the said supermarket of a Samsung cell phone valued at $75,000.

Additionally, another charge stated that on February 27, 2024 at Triumph, ECD, while being in the company of another and armed with a handgun, Sylvain robbed Danian Simon of two Samsung cell phones valued $104,000, a quantity of gold jewelries valued $1, 512, 000, and $66,000 in cash, total value being $1,682,000. He also robbed Stephen Gopaul of a quantity of gold jewelries valued $1,512,000 and $66,000 in cash, total value being $1.5 million.

To this end, on February 28, 2024, at about 09:00hrs, ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department’s special patrol, received certain information about a male who was suspected to be involved in a series of RUA, and was hiding out in a house at Lot 14 Melanie, ECD.

Ranks then went to the said location, where Sylvain was found. Upon his apprehension, Sylvain was shown the video footage, which showed him committing the act. He was told of the allegation leveled against him, to which he admitted.

A gold chain with the name ‘Gabby’ and a Samsung cell phone were recovered, and identified as Simon’s property.

Sylvain was arrested and taken to the Cove and John Police station.

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court, gun, Mental, Psychiatric evaluation, robbery

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