A man who tried to wheel over $500 worth of groceries out of a St. Albert store without paying will spend the next 30 days in jail.
Michael Denis Eufemia, 55, appeared in St. Albert Provincial Court Monday on CCTV to be sentenced for one count of theft under $5,000. He had previously pleaded guilty to the charge.
Eufemia’s crime happened on Oct. 13, 2012, at the Save-On Foods on Gervais Road, provincial Crown Prosecutor Douglas Taylor told the court.
In what Taylor called an aggravated case of shoplifting, Eufemia loaded up a grocery cart with about $550 worth of groceries and tried to push it out of the store, “which was particularly brazen.” He was soon stopped by a security guard and arrested.
A psychological assessment of Eufemia tabled in court suggests that Eufemia had an accomplice who agreed to help in the theft in exchange for half of the groceries. Eufemia did not appear to show remorse when asked about the theft, saying, “I do what I have to do to survive,” but did later write an apology to the store.
The court heard that the stolen items, none of which were high-value luxury goods, were recovered. Eufemia did have previous convictions for assault and fraud, but also needed treatment for drug addiction.
This was a premeditated crime, Judge Bruce Garriock said, the importance of which Eufemia had tried to minimize. He also questioned the sincerity of Eufemia’s apology.
Garriock sentenced Eufemia to 30 days in jail followed by one year’s probation, during which he will have to attend a residential treatment program for drug additions.
A drunk driver is out thousands of dollars because he tried to dupe the officers who arrested him.
Appearing in St. Albert court on CCTV, Daniel Douglas Green pleaded guilty this Monday to having a blood alcohol level over the legal limit, driving without insurance and obstructing a peace officer.
St. Albert RCMP pulled over a green car last April 11 after it was spotted travelling at about 80 kilometres an hour in a 60 zone on Villeneuve Road. Officers soon realized that the licence plate on the car was different from the one that the car was registered under.
The driver, Green, claimed that his name was “Rodney English” and that he had just bought the car about half an hour before. He said he had been told that the plate was still valid. He could not produce proof of insurance when asked.
Green admitted that he had had a few drinks, but attributed the strong smell of liquor officers smelled to a beer he had spilled on the floor of the car. Green also had slurred speech and red eyes at the time.
Tests at the detachment office suggested that Green had 170 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of his blood, or more than twice the legal limit of 80. He admitted his real name after repeated questions.
Garriock sentenced Green to five days in jail (effectively served by his five days in pre-trial custody) and fined him $4,025. Green is also banned from driving for a year.
A Toronto man will spend the next month in jail for attempting a five-finger discount at a local Walmart.
Eryn Shane Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to comply with the conditions of a release and one count each of theft under $5,000 and obstructing a peace officer. He appeared in St. Albert court on Monday through CCTV from the Edmonton Remand Centre.
Mitchell stole a pair of work boots, five DVDs and a security camera system worth roughly $600 from the St. Albert Walmart last April 6, Taylor said. When police intercepted him on Erin Ridge Drive, he took off running.
When arrested, Mitchell claimed that his name was “Len Berezowski,” which was false. Police later learned that he was supposed to be under house arrest in Toronto and did not have the conditions of his house arrest on his person as required.
Garriock sentenced Mitchell to 37 days in jail.
