Jermaine Jorgenson, 25, gets 2 years for theft of $500 cash and 4 gold rings valued at $2,639

A Belize City mechanic who stole from a man while they were both in police lockdown now has two years to clear his head—from the confusion he admitted caused him to steal, when he answered to someone else’s name and then brazenly signed out the person’s property from the police station.

Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith sentenced mechanic Jermaine Jorgenson, 25, a resident of 6812 Tibruce Street, to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of theft on Wednesday.

Police charged Jorgenson with theft from Glen Williams, 31. He was accused of stealing $500 and four gold rings which has a combined value of $2,639.

The theft occurred on Friday, April 4, when Williams was detained. He handed in his properties to police, which is a standard procedure detainees must comply with. But the following day, April 5, after he was released, he returned to claim his property from the police, and that is when the theft was discovered.

Police officer Santiago Ciau immediately launched an investigation into the matter and discovered that Jermaine Jorgenson had signed out Williams’ properties.

Jorgenson was located, along with the items, and police charged him with theft.

In an explanation, Jorgenson told the Chief Magistrate, “They deh call Glen Williams name over and over again, and so I just answer to the name.”

According to Jorgenson, the next minute he was being given “all these items and so I just took it.”

Smith asked him why he took the items.

Jorgenson replied, “I was asleep and I wake up confused.”

He added that “at the time when I heard the name being called out, it sounded like my name.”