Great Mountain mechanic Kareem Reece will stand trial for burglary in the fall after pleading not guilty to the charge on Friday at Magistrates’ Court.
Mr. Reece, 21, was arrested and charged in May 2013 after allegedly breaking in to a woman’s house and stealing $680 worth of cash and electronics.
According to Senior Crown Counsel Leslie-Ann Faulkner, the complainant left her home near Mount Healthy around 8:45 a.m. on May 17, 2013. She returned later that afternoon to find various items missing: an iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy tablet, and $280 in cash, Ms. Faulkner said.
Police were contacted, and they conducted investigations and obtained a search warrant for Mr. Reece’s home.
After police found the missing items there, Mr. Reece allegedly said, “Officer, I know I was wrong,” according to the prosecutor.
Despite the fact that the defendant allegedly admitted to the offence, his attorney, Ruthilia Maximea, told the court that the charge would be disputed.
Ms. Maximea also convinced Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards to grant bail to her client, saying that he has mental health problems.
“Based on his mental condition, we don’t consider him a flight risk,” she said.
Mr. Reece was granted $70,000 bail with two sureties, and is scheduled to appear in court again on Sept. 26.