Former ice cream van driver convicted for stealing ice cream

A 49-year-old who worked as the driver of an ice cream van for six years was convicted yesterday for stealing a two litre tub of Frisko ice cream from Massy supermarket.

“If you can’t buy ice-cream buy popsicle,” the Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche advised defendant Westmore McFee of Sion Hill who also stole an umbrella on the same day, Saturday, October 5.
These items together amounted to EC$55.20.

McFee also admitted his guilt to going into the Stoney Ground supermarket on September 23, and stealing one bottle of Hennessy pure white, one bottle of fireball, and one bottle of Absolut Citrum, with a total value of EC$275.15.

He said that what he was going to do with the alcohol was drink it, and that he didn’t have the money to pay for it.

Westmore is a self-professed landscaper and father of three children: one 14-year-old, one who is in grade six, and another who is attending preschool.

He gave this information to Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne after she questioned him following his pleading that he is the only breadwinner in his family.

The defendant might have been successful in getting away with his first crime, had it not been for the checks of the employee reconciling liquor sales at the supermarket. The employee, one Campbell, had realized that on the morning of September 25, whilst doing her normal checks, that there was a difference of certain beverages. As a result she made checks and realized the items had not been sold. She reported this to the security department, who checked the footage on the surveillance cameras. They witnessed McFee removing the alcoholic drinks, and while he paid for other items he had removed, he did not pay for these. The matter was reported to the police and PC Lavé carried out investigations.

Last Saturday, the Loss Prevention Officer at the supermarket spotted the defendant standing in aisle three of the supermarket where he took an umbrella and a Frisko ice cream and concealed them in his pants waist. They kept watching him and observed him paying for other items that he had picked up but not those in his pants waist. They caught him and reported the matter to the police, and the defendant was handed over to PC Caesar.

The defendant volunteered a statement to the police admitting both offences. It was said that he had no previous criminal record.

The chief magistrate tallied the mitigating and aggravating features for the September offence and decided that compensation of $275.15 should be paid. She also bonded him in the sum of $1500 so that if he breaches the bond this sum should be paid forthwith or McFee must spend nine months in prison.

For last Saturday’s offence restoration for the umbrella was ordered, and compensation of $29 for the ice-cream. Additionally, a fine of $250 was imposed.

McFee said that he could not pay all of the money on that day and asked for some time.

After deliberation, the court allowed him to pay the remaining sum of just over $50, by a date in late October.