A man who broke into two Hamilton businesses has been given a break — with a series of conditions attached — in Magistrates’ Court.

Equan Richardson, 20, admitted stealing jewellery and electronics and taking two bikes without consent when he appeared in court in December.

Richardson also pleaded guilty to destroying a bike, riding without insurance and obstructing a police officer, before he reappeared in court yesterday to face sentencing.

Richardson, from Hamilton Parish, stole $8,495 worth of jewellery after breaking into Swiss Jewellers on Front Street on January 26, 2023.

He damaged a window at the business that cost $9,865 to repair.

Police traced blood droplets at the scene to Richardson, whom they saw riding a stolen bike months after the burglary.

Richardson told officers that he found the cycle, which he thought had been abandoned, in Devonshire.

He then broke into and stole electronics, valued at $9,903, from P-Tech on Reid Street on October 9, 2023.

Richardson sped away from police on another stolen bike after the break-in, and the stolen items were found in and around Queen Elizabeth Park.

Prosecutor Adley Duncan said it would be difficult for Richardson, who has cancer, to receive treatment in the United States with a criminal conviction.

He suggested that Richardson be given a conditional discharge for the offences and ordered to reimburse Swiss Jewellers.

Marc Daniels, Richardson’s lawyer, said his client, who is studying culinary arts at the Bermuda College, committed the burglaries to help a friend in debt and “never envisioned himself on this path”.

Mr Daniels also recommended a conditional discharge.

Magistrate Tyrone Chin sentenced Richardson to a three-year conditional discharge for the offences and warned him to stay out of trouble during that time.

Conditions include reimbursing Swiss Jewellers for the stolen jewellery, probation and not leaving Bermuda without permission.

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