Sangre Grande man fined $4,000 for stealing oranges

A Sangre Grande magistrate has fined a Matura man $4,000 after he stole hundreds of oranges from a senior citizen in October.

A police release said on Monday, Magistrate Nannette Forde-John fined Adrian "Jango" Mitchell, 38, of Mora Trace after he pleaded guilty to being found on cultivated lands and praedial larceny— charges that carry a fine of $2,000 each.

Police said at 5.40 am on October 25, the senior citizen was tending to crops on his estate when he saw Mitchell on the property picking oranges from his trees and cutting horse plantains with a cutlass before placing them in a crocus bag and leaving.

He later discovered that 45 plantain grains and 300 oranges were missing. The produce was valued at approximately $2,400. Mitchell was charged by PC Mc Clatchie of the Matura Police Station on February 16 after a warrant exercise. The police release said if Mitchell fails to pay the fines within the stipulated four months, he will be sentenced to six months in prison.