Today, a sister and brother entered Belize City Magistrate’s Court both charged for handling stolen goods but by the time it was all over only one would be formally arraigned for the charge, that is because the youngest sibling took the rap and pled guilty. Thirty year old Jin Tain Chen will stand alone in the case of the stolen laptop, the property of no other than Lady Ombudsman Cynthia Pitts.
Police investigations reveal that the brother and sister did not steal the laptop, they only bought the hot item valued at one thousand three hundred dollars along with a fifty dollar bag. Police found it at the Chinese family’s home on Mahogany Street. When both siblings appeared before Magistrate Rachel Montero they could have faced a jail term but were spared because none of them had any previous convictions for dishonesty. Both brother and sister were defended by attorney Ellis Arnold and their case was adjourned until July twentieth. The prosecutor did not object to bail and both were fined four thousand dollars each plus two sureties each of two thousand dollars.
But while both Jin and Jie were taken back to their cell to wait for their bail to be posted, it was during this time the brother decided to take the rap so his sister could be free from the charge. And so after Jin Tian Chen pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods Magistrate Montero imposed a non custodial penalty of a one thousand five hundred dollar fine plus a five dollar cost of court against the brother.
According to police reports on February twenty seventh someone broke into the Ombudswoman’s vehicle and stole the laptop.
