Tobago woman jailed for stealing tourist dollars

A 29-year-old Tobago woman who stole over $2,000 in cash, in local and foreign currency, from visitors at Stone Haven Villas at Grafton, Black Rock, has been jailed for five months with hard labour by a Scarborough Magistrate. Lystra Frederick, 29, originally of Pembroke, east Tobago, but who was living at Plymouth, was sentenced by Magistrate Joan Gill in the Scarborough Second Court. She was charged by Detective Alicia Piggott, of Old Grange Police. Frederick pleaded guilty to two charges of larceny.

The court heard that Frederick was employed as a maid at Stone Haven Villas and responsible for cleaning Villa 15 where the two couples from the UK were staying between January 30 and February 3. During the course of their stay, one of the visitors discovered TT $353 and $140 (US) missing from her belongings, while another realised that $954 (TT) had been stolen. The police were alerted. Detective Piggott subsequently confronted Frederick, who admitted her guilt and handed over $925. Also, in the same court, a teenager from Coral Gardens, Buccoo, was sent to jail for three months with hard labour for stealing varying sums of money from workers at Morsehead wholesale/retail establishment at Bethany, near Buccoo, between December 27 and February 3. Crystal Solomon, 18, who was employed as a merchandiser with LJ Williams Ltd, was charged with three counts of larceny involving $300, $100, and $200. Charges in these matters were also laid by Detective Piggott.

The court heard that workers at Morsehead had been missing money on different occasions during the period. On February 3, one of them discovered $200 missing, and the police were called in. The workers were all taken to the Old Grange Station where an individual search was conducted, but the money was not located. The court was told that Detective Piggott later confronted Solomon at a supermarket on the outskirts of Scarborough. She confessed to stealing the money and handed over $120. Solomon, who used to visit the establishment in her capacity as a merchandiser, also admitted to stealing the other sums of money on previous occasions.