Thieves awaiting sentencing after stealing from retired soldier

TWO EMPLOYEES of a security company sent to install a security system at the home of an elderly retired soldier are in prison awaiting sentencing for stealing a quantity of items from this soldier’s home.

The most hurtful part of the whole ordeal for 74-year-old Norris Fraser, was that the young men were supposed to be taking steps to protect his home, but it turns out “they end up to be the thieves, the culprits.”

“…and I trusted them! And not in my wildest dreams would I have thought that they would have done something like that,” he commented at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on March 24.

Fraser also revealed that checks of the security system, which they had been working to install, discovered that it was turned off at the time of the offence.

All in all, “It’s really painful,” the elderly gentleman described.

Omarie Scrubb and Antonio Alleyne were workers of the Third Eye Security firm at the time of the offence. The company was contacted to install security cameras and alarms in the Arnos Vale home of the retired soldier.

On November 11, 2020, Fraser opened his home to them and left the workers unsupervised for a time in order to go into Kingstown with a mechanic to buy some spare parts.

When they were finished with their work, the two left without saying anything to Fraser.

Later on, the older gentleman made checks to see what was done by the security personnel, and noticed that his barrels were not in the position in which he left them. He became suspicious, and upon checking, household items and toiletries amounting to $1878.28 were found to be missing. Among the stolen items are toothpaste, dishwashing liquid, deodorant, cologne, toilet paper, air freshener and Coca Cola.

Fraser reported the matter to the police who went to speak with Scrubb at his workplace. He told the police “officer I sorry, things been bad and I have home the things I took from Mr Fraser.”

When they went to his home he handed over a bag with the items.

Armed with a search warrant, the police headed over to Alleyne’s home.

“Mr Fraser give me the things”, the young man told the officers, and a search of his home revealed a number of items.

Fraser later identified them as his own. However, not all the items were recovered, and some had been used. Adding the value of used items and those not recorded leaves an outstanding sum of $1586.78.

Alleyne, aged 24 years, and Scrubb, 27 years, have no known previous convictions. Scrubb said he gained employment as a technician at the security company after dropping out of Secondary School. Alleyne said he went to college where he studied computer and electronics, following which he got a job with the company.

Both have confirmed that they have been fired from their jobs.

“You were employed as a security to secure the man’s property. Explain to me, because you went from being a security to a thief, explain that to me, I don’t understand,” Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett questioned, first to Scrubb.

The defendant said the situation was as he had explained to the police, and that he was going through a rough time and claimed that they weren’t getting paid at times. Scrubb said he was “frustrated” and this caused him to make some “foolish decisions”. Alleyne said it was the same for him.

After hearing from the elderly gentleman, the magistrate told the defendants: “gentlemen what you all did was terrible. Here’s a man who employed- well he didn’t employ both of you directly, but he employed the company to secure his premises, and look at what you all did.”

One of the defendants said he has learned from the experience, to which the judicial officers responded that they have a lot more to learn. When the matter is reported in the media, “… the whole world is going to read about it and now everything is on social media, and the whole world is going to comment about it,” Burnett told them.

“…Your life is going to change from today. Who did not know, they will now know,” he said.

He asked Prosecutor Renrick Cato, to provide his submissions on sentencing. The prosecutor noted that the punishment started when the men were fired. He highlighted the egregious parts of the offence, and suggested that they should spend two days in prison before sentencing.

“…Let them see what it’s like round in Her Majesty’s Prison,” to impress upon them the serious nature of the offence, he submitted.

“The whole facts of the matter is disturbing,” the magistrate commented.

The prosecutor added that it will also affect the reputation of the security company.

The magistrate went further than two days, and remand the defendants into custody until April 13, during which time they will reflect.

“…We live in a society where there appears to be a breakdown, and when I sit here I have a hard job to do which I asked for, I asked for it, and I will do it. Tough decisions have to be made from time to time and I will make the tough decisions…” he concluded.