Michael McLean, STAR Writer

Santa Cruz

A 45-year-old man, charged with larceny after he stole three bottles of overproof white rum, was fined when he appeared in the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Carlos Brown, of a St Elizabeth address, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Resident Magistrate Dionne Mayler-Reid. He was charged after he stole the items from the Super Plus Food Store on Saturday.

The court was told that on July 12, Brown was observed by security personnel of the food store with a bulge in his waist. Following checks, security discovered that he had a bottle of rum in his pocket, which he took out and left at the cashier. While leaving, he was stopped by security, and following a search, three bottles of overproof rum were found in his pockets.

He was fined $24,540 or 10 days in jail.