Flea-ing days over for Kingstown insecticide bandit

A convicted robber who sprayed his victims with the insecticide BOP before relieving them of their personal possessions told police officers that he behaved that way because he is under the spell of obeah.{{more}}

Augustus Roger Greaves was on Monday sentenced by Senior Magistrate Donald Browne to five years imprisonment for his lawlessness.

“Them people been owe me money and I been have to get a way to get it back,” the Choppins resident explained to the court. The 32-year-old man pleaded guilty to three counts of theft at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

On September 3 at Kingstown, Greaves stole a quantity of cheques, books and a pair of spectacles, among other items, from Michael Scully of Warriacou, totaling over $2,995. He was also charged with stealing a black Jansport bag, a Motorola V3 Razar cellular phone, female underwear, 71 Digicel phone cards amounting to $2,252, the property of Cybil Stapleton of Glen on September 11. On September 14, Greaves stole a shoulder bag, cellular phone, Olbas oil, a silver and gold ring, valued at $1,534, property of Janet Williams and Sonya Bibby of Richmond Hill.

Scully, a 73-year-old retired contractor, went to check his post office box at the Ministerial Building at around 9:30am on September 3 when Greaves came from behind and grabbed his bag and fled the scene. Around 7:30 am on September 11, another victim, Cybil Stapleton, who vends in the area of Courts furniture and appliance store, was just about to ask someone to hold her bag when Greaves sprayed the insecticide in her face and ran off with her belongings. Three days later, Greaves struck again. This time, Janet Williams, a vendor in the area of P.H Veira hardware store, was his victim. At around 9:30 a.m., he went up to her and sprayed the BOP insecticide in her face and ran with her bag.

Last weekend, during another robbery attempt, Greaves attempted to board a van, but was knocked down by an approaching vehicle when he ran onto the main road. Enraged civilians in the vicinity gave chase, caught him and administered blows about his body. Luckily for Greaves, a police officer came on the scene and took him into a supermarket for refuge until further help arrived.

An irate prosecutor Sergeant Glenford Graig told the court that the facts in the matters were very disconcerting and asked the magistrate to impose a heavy custodial sentence on Greaves. Greaves has previous convictions of theft and burglary dating back to October 2008.

“Look at you. You gone to spray Bop in people’s eyes, and this insecticide is used to kill insects…you set out to blind them,” Browne chided. “We have to get the demons out of you, and the only way to do so is to let you go somewhere where you can pray and meditate,” Browne added.

Greaves was sentenced to two years imprisonment for robbing Scully and five years each for robbing Stapleton and Williams. The sentences will run concurrently.

However, that was not the end of Greaves’ court appearances. He reappeared at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday, September 22, charged with robbing three other individuals.

Greaves was charged with robbing Paul Greaves of $1,900 on August 29, 2009. He was also charged with robbing Lennox Clarke of New Montrose on September 18, 2009. He stole one wallet worth $150 with $1,000 cash inside from Clarke.

He was additionally charged with robbing Mellissa Bullock of Vermont, stealing $2,050 in cash and other items a total value of $2,728.65.

Greaves was placed on remand and will return to the Serious Offences Court on December 17, 2009. (OS/KW)