By Sue-Ann Wayow
A MAN who stole a smart TV from a church has been sentenced to nine months hard labour.
Daniel Ramoutar, a labourer, of Orion Circular, KP Lands, Valencia, pleaded guilty to the offence of Sacrilege before a Sangre Grande Magistrate, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) stated on Friday.
The sentence was given by Magistrate Cheron Raphael.
Ramoutar was arrested and charged on Thursday by PC Gonzales of the Valencia Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
According to police reports, at 1 pm on October 27, the pastor of a church in Valencia secured the building by locking all doors and windows and went away. The following morning, at 7.40 am, he received a call during which he learned the front door of the church was open.
The pastor later arrived at the church, and upon making checks, discovered one 43-inch smart TV missing.
A report was made at the Valencia Police Post and investigations led by PC Gonzales and WPC Williams-James resulted in the arrest of the suspect who was charged with the offence.
Arrested for stealing weaves, eyelashes and other items
And a 39-year-old suspect is currently detained by police in connection with two reports of Sacrilege and Shop Breaking and Larceny that allegedly occurred on Thursday in the Sangre Grande district.
The TTPS reported that the suspect was arrested on Friday morning by officers of the Sangre Grande Criminal Investigations Department (CID) who led enquiries into two reports in which several items were stolen from a church and a salon in the area.
All of the stolen items have also been recovered, police said.
In the first report, at 7 am on Friday, a woman returned to her Sangre Grande business place where she observed the main entrance burglar proof lock to be missing and the door to be opened.
Upon entering the establishment, she observed a number of shampoos, conditioners and hair gels and an assortment of weaves and eyelashes to be missing.
The owner, who had secured the location by locking all doors and windows at 8 pm the night before, told police that she gave no one permission to enter and take or carry away any of the missing items.
In the second incident, at 7.45 am also on Friday, another woman returned to a church located in Sangre Grande where she observed the main entrance door lock tampered with and the door to be opened.
Upon entering the building, it was observed that two speaker boxers, two microphone systems, one musical mixing board, one vocal receptor and a gas tank were missing.
She also gave no one permission to enter the church or to carry away any of the missing items.
The incidents were reported to police who immediately responded and launched investigations which are being led by PC Salickram.
Following further enquiries, CID detectives and officers attached to the Eastern Division Task Force executed a search warrant at the home of the 39-year-old suspect where they allegedly found and seized the items.
The man is expected to be charged soon in connection with the matters, pending additional investigations.
