A Sandys teenager who stole more than $27,000 of jewellery has claimed he developed a penchant for theft while living in Gambia.

Abdullah Muhammad, 18, admitted one count of prowling and one of trespass in two separate incidents, both of which took place in Southampton on July 26.

The defendant, who lives on Somerset Road, was spotted with an unknown friend wandering around a condominium on Landmark Drive.

An occupant spoke to the pair, who claimed to be trying to reach a neighbouring area, and asked them to leave the premises.

However, after seeing them milling around again, she told them that she would call the police, prompting them to leave. Security footage of the two men was later handed to police.

That same day, the resident of a property on Luke’s Pond Drive returned home and discovered that multiple items of white gold and yellow gold had vanished.

The thief is believed to have gained entrance to the house through the living room door, which was left unlocked.

During a search of Muhammad’s bedroom, in an unrelated matter, police discovered numerous pieces of jewellery in a blue knapsack under his bed, as well as more items on his dresser.

The Luke’s Pond Drive resident later confirmed that many of the items were hers, although some were damaged or had missing parts, and only $9,430 worth of her jewellery was recovered.

When asked to explain his behaviour by senior magistrate Juan Wolffe, Muhammad said that he had come to Bermuda seven months ago from Gambia to live with his mother.

“I was going through some struggles,” the defendant said of his time in the African country, during which he became accustomed to stealing.

“I still had that same behaviour in me, to go and steal,” said Muhammad, who is unemployed and has no previous convictions, adding that he had since turned his behaviour around.

Mr Wolffe ordered a Social Inquiry Report on the defendant, who will return to court on December 2 for sentencing.

He also ordered Muhammad to surrender all travel documents, report to court services when necessary and agree not to associate with persons of known bad character or his accomplice in the Landmark Drive offence.

Mr Wolffe released the defendant on $3,000 bail with a like surety. However Muhammad’s mother refused to pay the surety, and he was remanded into custody.

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