St. Elizabeth farmer catches pepper thief

A St. Elizabeth farmer, who pleaded guilty, to a charge of praedial larceny, will know his fate on September 30.

Derrick Johnson, 52, of Rose Hall, pleaded guilty to praedial larceny, when he appeared in the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Mr. Johnson is accused of stealing 128 pounds of sweet pepper valued at $20,000, from the farm of Trevor Robinson of Carlyle District.

The court was told that for some time, Mr. Robinson had noticed that he was losing sweet pepper from his farm and, as a result, placed marks on each fruit.

On the morning of September 19, acting on information, he stopped a taxi with Mr. Johnson aboard.

The car was searched, and three bags containing the marked fruits were found.

Mr. Johnson reportedly ran from the scene, but was chased and held.

The bags of sweet pepper and Mr. Johnson were taken to the Junction Police Station, where he confessed to stealing the fruit from the farm.

Resident Magistrate, Sonia Wint-Blair, requested that a social report be prepared for Mr. Johnson, in time for his sentencing hearing on September 30.