Mechanics are being advised to ask vehicle owners to produce a certified copy when they take their vehicles in for overnight repair work, as more and more people are being arrested for larceny of vehicles.
Acting Senior Magistrate Sharon Gibson issued the warning yesterday, minutes after she granted a Petit Valley mechanic $150,000 bail with a surety to be approved by a clerk of the peace III.
Yaseem Daniel, 23, of Abdool Lane, Pioneer Drive, Petit Valley, pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Gibson in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Court charged with larceny of a $35,000 B13 Nissan car belonging to Terry Kemraj.
Daniel was arrested on December 21 at his business place at the address where he lives. Representing Daniel, attorney Patrick Godson-Phillip told the court Daniel lived with his parents and siblings in Petit Valley.
Godson-Phillip pleaded with the magistrate to understand that although Daniel had a pending matter for the same offence before the Arima court, it was not his fault, as customers often brought vehicles for repairs and Daniel had no way to know if they were stolen, as he did not ask for documents to verify ownership.
Godson-Phillip appealed for Daniel's mother to be allowed to take his bail yesterday but Gibson rejected this request. Acknowledging that Daniel had allegedly committed this offence while out on $75,000 bail in relation to the Arima matter, Gibson warned Daniel, "Sir, I caution you, the next time is strike three."
She urged Daniel to be mindful that if any further allegations arose while he was out on bail in this matter, the consequences would be dire. "If you need to check documents, then do so," she advised. Daniel will reappear on January 21 before the Eleventh Court magistrate.
