The latest edition of Stupid Things People Do For Sneakers takes us to the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. In the the neighborhood of Cubupia a homeless man finds himself behind bars after stealing a pair of sneakers.
Fifty-four-year old Lester Joseph told a magistrate that he broke into the home to steal a pair of sneakers because he was barefoot and could not afford to buy a pair of sneakers.
Prosecutor Sgt. Wayne Waite told the court that at approximately 9:30 a.m. a resident saw Mr. Joseph leaving his neighbor’s garage located on the Southern Main Road in Cunupia, carrying a pair of red white and black sneakers. According to Waite, the resident then called police who tracked down Joseph wearing the sneakers. Joseph was arrested and subsequently charged.
Jospeh told the magistrate , “I didn’t have anything to wear on my feet, your honour. I am not a delinquent. I am changing.” However Joseph’s pleas fell on deaf ears as the magistrate told him that it was not an excuse for stealing.
The magistrate stated the maximum sentence for this offense is six months but he took Joseph’s guilty plea into consideration as well as the fact the sneakers, valued at $600, were recovered. Joseph was sentenced to six weeks with hard labor and the shoes were ordered returned to the owner.
