Worker steals $8,800 from Pizza Boys

Sebi Nedd of Point Fortin pleaded guilty yesterday before Magistrate Melvin Daniel to stealing the cash.

Yesterday, attorney Ravi Gooljar told Daniel that Nedd was overcome by temptation because of the large volume of money which passed through her hands on a daily basis.

Police prosecutor WPC Cpl Floris Hodge said the manager of the eating establishment placed $37,400 cash in a deposit bag and secured it in the vault on August 27. However, when the manager checked the money on August 30, the prosecutor said, it was noticed that $8,800 was missing. A report was made to the San Fernando CID and PC Teasedale investigated.

Daniel heard that when Teasedale confronted Nedd about the disappearance of the money, she replied, "Officer, I take the money and I have some home and I give my friends to keep some."

Accompanied by the police officer, Nedd returned to her home and handed over $600 and retrieved $4,500 from a friend’s house. Nedd told the police that $3,400 had been spent, Hodge told the magistrate.

Gooljar said Nedd was willing to pay back the outstanding money. He said the temptation caused the defendant to commit her crime, but "at least she was caught in the nick of time so she can learn from this."

Gooljar pleaded to the magistrate to impose a non-custodial sentence on Nedd, a first-time offender. Daniel adjourned sentencing for today.