Phone thief gets feel of a hard Knoox life
When Meshell Knoox decided to steal a Blackberry cellular phone last Saturday, she apparently did not think her plan through clearly.{{more}}
She was caught red-handed, shortly after she made off with the phone.
The matter was heard at the Serious Offences Court yesterday, before Chief Magistrate Sonya Young.
Knoox, a resident of Kingstown, pleaded guilty to the charge and was remanded in custody until tomorrow, Wednesday, when she will be sentenced.
On May 11, at about 4:25 p.m., the 28-year-old mother of three went into a beauty salon in Kingstown and enquired of the owner of the phone, the cost to have her nails done.
After being told the price, she sat in a chair at the salon, as the owner of the phone dealt with other matters in the business place.
The court heard that the phone had been placed not too far from where Knoox was sitting.
About 10 minutes later, the woman went to check on her phone and realised that neither the phone, nor Knoox were in sight.
The owner of the phone then conducted her own investigations, and she and a friend tracked down Knoox, whom they encountered at the bus terminal opposite the St Vincent Co-operative Bank on Bay Street.
The owner of the phone asked Knoox if she knew of the whereabouts of the cellular phone.
Knoox denied any knowledge of the Blackberry smartphone.
The friend of the phone owner then dialled her friendâs cellular number.
A phone began ringing in Knooxâs bag.
A police officer, who was passing at the time, was told about the matter.
Knoox was then taken to the Central Police Station where she admitted to stealing the phone.
When the case was heard yesterday, chief magistrate Sonya Young tried to restrain herself from laughing.
âIf I were outside this courtroom, I would have been laughing like an idiot…,â the magistrate said, with a chuckle.
In her explanation, Knoox said âI just see the phone and I just take it to use it.â
She admitted that she does not own a cellular phone and is currently unemployed.
âWhy have you gone and taken something that doesnât belong to you? I work hard for what I want and I donât even own a Blackberry phone. How are you even going to buy credit for the phone…?â Young questioned.
Young adjourned Knooxâs sentencing, saying that she wanted the woman to experience two nights at Her Majestyâs Prison at Fort Charlotte.
âI want you to see what prison is like. Come back on Wednesday and tell me how important this Blackberry is,â the magistrate said. (KW)
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