Pre-sentencing reports were ordered on two teenagers who confessed to the District ‘A’ Magistrates Court today that they were involved in a gas pump scam.
Jamal Kemar Greene 19, of Redman Village, St. Thomas and Khalile Quarless, of Wavell Avenue, Black Rock, 18, both pleaded guilty to their respective offences; that between July 1 and August 13 this year, Greene stole $545 and Quarless $2,300 from Vega Energy Incorporated.
Station Sergeant Irvin Kellman told the court that both were employed at the SOL Black Rock branch.
When some customers paid for their gas with either their SOL or Cave Shepherd card, the men would swipe the card a first time for the amount required by the customer, and “then a second time for an amount varying between $20 and $50.”
They kept the receipt and when a customer later paid in cash, they kept that cash and allowed the second swipe to cover the cash order. After a complaint was made, CCTV footage was reviewed, they were caught on camera and the police were called.
Both are first-time offenders.
When Magistrate Douglas Frederick asked Quarless what he had to say, he replied “nothing.”
“You could come up with a complex (scam) like this and then don’t have anything to say?” The magistrate asked Quarless to sit on the bench and reflect.
When it was Greene’s turn, he apologised and offered to repay the money.
Greene told the court it was his first job and he had been employed for about four months. He also agreed that he was satisfied with the pay.
“So why did you steal the money then?” the Magistrate asked.
“I wanted to build on a room,” he explained.
“And you would have been able to sleep at night after stealing all that money?”
Greene said “no.”
The pair was granted bail. They will return to court on November 2.