By Sacha Walters, Staff Reporter

A thief got anxious when he attempted to flee in a taxi with goods valued at approximately $102,000.

Gauntlet Pinnock, a 41-year-old mechanic from 15 Myrie Avenue in Kingston pleaded guilty to house breaking and larceny when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

The court heard that on October 5 between 8:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., Pinnock broke into a house on West Lake Avenue in Richmond Park, Kingston 10.

While there, he stole a Sharp mini component set and colour television set, a Gateway Central Processing Unit (CPU) and jewellery. He allegedly boarded a taxi to transport the goods from the location.

The taxi driver reportedly became suspicious when he was packing the items into the car.

The items were recovered and he was subsequently arrested and charged with the offence.

Pinnock told the court that his struggles with drugs have made him do things out of the ordinary. He said he was passing by and saw a man with the items and when he asked where he got them, he ran away and that is when he took them.

Pinnock who had two previous convictions for similar offences, later admitted that he went into the house.

He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and a recommendation was made for drug rehabilitation.