Roberts gave the money to his common-law wife after buying “baby things”
On Thursday, May 30, 2013, Calbert Roberts, Jr., 19, a resident of #16 Mangal Street in Orange Walk, was arraigned on burglary and damage to property charges, to which he pled guilty.
According to the facts of the case, Racquel Borland, the owner of Biscayne General Shop, reported that between 6:00 p.m. on May 26, 2013 and 12:00 noon May 27, 2013, someone broke into her store and stole $4,100 from the store’s drop box.
Police launched an investigation and apprehended Roberts, Jr., who then admitted to breaking into the store, where he had been employed as a gas attendant.
After pleading guilty to the charges, Roberts had told the court that he wasn’t thinking properly and that his “ego” was overwhelmed. He further told the court that he had made a genuine mistake, and begged the court to please excuse his common-law wife, because she didn’t know where he had gotten the money.
The Chief Magistrate, Ann Marie Smith, had then remanded him to the Belize Central Prison until June, when she would sentence him in the presence of Borland. She was absent from court yesterday, so Roberts was remanded until today.
This morning when he appeared back in court, he gave a tearful apology to Borland, who became emotional herself. Roberts told her, “I am sorry for my actions – you gave me a job and I don’t want my son to punish because of my actions.”
In response to his apology, Borland told the court that she just wanted the balance of the money that was stolen. Police had recovered $3,300 BZ and $120 US from Roberts’ common-law wife, Monique Trimino, 20.
When asked what he had done with the missing $560, Roberts said he had bought “baby things” out of it.
The Chief Magistrate then ordered him to pay the $560 as compensation to Borland by December 31, 2013, or spend six months in jail.
For the burglary charge, he was fined $500, which is to be paid by April 30, 2014, or he will spend another six months in prison, and for the damage to property charge, he was given a cautionary remand.
After receiving his fines, Roberts walked out of court still teary-eyed and emotional, while letting out a sigh of relief.