By Rasbert Turner, STAR Writer

Spanish Town

A Portmore man who was caught stealing metal was sentenced to six months hard labour in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to larceny.

Phillip McLeod, an employee Minott Garbage Service, received the sentence after he was caught stealing metal from a Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) property on October 24.

The investigating officer, Christopher Haughton, told the court that on the day in question, McLeod was seen near the Portmore JUTC depot. Security observed him putting a white container in a garbage compactor. The container was retrieved and found to have several pieces of metal valued about $10,000. The police was called and he was charged.

Before receiving his sentence, the Resident Magistrate scolded him on his actions, telling him the scrap metal business is causing untold woes to several persons in Jamaica. The RM said the industry should be regulated and that a message must be sent to persons of like mind to desist from the illegal practice of aking things not belonging to them.