No bail for alleged iPhone thief

A St James man who allegedly broke into a phone repair store and stole several iPhones was remanded in custody when he appeared in the St James Parish Court last Friday.

When the accused man, 53-year-old higgler Robert Lawrence of a Flanker address, returns to court tomorrow, the court is expected to hear the outcome of mediation sessions between the defendant and the complainant. When Lawrence appeared before presiding Parish Judge Sasha-Marie Ashley, his attorney, Suwayne Phillips, made an unsuccessful bail application.

The allegations are that on January 6 about 10 a.m., the complainant received word that his cellular phone repair store, located along Queen's Drive in Montego Bay, had been broken into. A subsequent look at the video footage from the store's security camera system showed Lawrence smashing the glass to the front door and stealing a quantity of iPhones valued about $2 million.

It is further alleged that on February 17, police investigators, acting on information, conducted a raid at Lawrence's house in Flanker. He was arrested and charged.

During Lawrence's bail application, Phillips said that her client was willing to sit down with the complainant in a mediation session to resolve the matter.

"Your Honour, my client is minded and agreeable to mediation at this point. He indicates that he has been in custody since February 17. We know that when you go to mediation, you sit and see what you can agree with and what you cannot agree with," said Phillips.

However, the prosecution advised the court that investigators had sought to locate Lawrence at a site on the same premises where the complainant's store is located, but could not be find him at that time.

It was further disclosed that the footage from the security system has been submitted to the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Communication, Forensic and Cybercrime Division for further analysis. The court was also told that the complainant was not in Jamaica.