Chef steals lumber to rebuild cookshop

A Corporate Area chef who admitted to stealing several pieces of lumber from his neighbour's property said he was trying to rebuild his cookshop.

Francina Brewster pleaded guilty to simple larceny in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday. It was shared by prosecutors that the complainant, who is the overseer at a construction site, was alerted to sounds coming from the compound on July 30. Police were alerted and saw a truck on the property, with Brewster removing several pieces of lumber valued at $88,000, as well as a four-burner gas stove valued at $40,000, from the property.

"I run a little shop and operate a likkle 'fry-fry' business. I got a emergency notice so I run in a situation weh me affi build back a shop. I had some boards at the house [the complainant's property] and me take out some and went to Phil's Hardware go buy some. Me surprise fi go back a my yard and see the complainant with police say me have tiefing board a my yard but I took some of them," Brewster told presiding Judge Carlo Mason.

"He took some of the boards but that's a guilty plea in my book," the judge noted. Brewster is to return to court on November 7 to be sentenced.

Another accused man, Wayne White, was also charged with simple larceny in relation to the stove. The prosecutor decided to offer no evidence against him, as White was able to prove ownership of the appliance.

- T.T.