life yesterday after he sentenced him to two years probation for stealing.

Mr. Greaves told the boy he was "very lucky'' to have a stepfather who was interested in his development.

And he warned the budding athlete against being tempted by opportunistic thefts as sportsmen also had to perform to a higher standard off the field.

"You have to understand, just as there are rules in sport, there are rules in your stepfather's household,'' Mr. Greaves said. "You are a very lucky, young man. You have a stepfather that wants the best for you.

"Some stepfathers don't give a damn! Give thanks for small mercies,'' he continued.

"Work out your relationship with him. Pull your weight at home. He's struggling for you. He's doing more than he has to.'' The Southampton teen admitted stealing a $400 television and $300 videocassette recorder from the Sandys Community Centre on January 21.

And he admitted stealing a Sega game player and three CD-ROMs worth $300 and a portable CD player and two music CD's worth more than $475 from a Sandys home on February 8.

The boy said: "I'm sorry for what I've done. I know what I did was wrong and I know that it will not happen again. I learned the consequences of stealing.'' After ordering the probation and allowing the boy to leave, Mr. Greaves said to the panel: "Big fellow like that will have to find out how they did it when we were young.

"Don't listen to your stepfather? Blam! I would have had a piece of wood upside my head. You crazy? A big bull like that and don't listen to the man of the house? "Parents need to go back to the old way of checking the rooms of these kids,'' he added, "and any foolishness, put it outside.'' MAN ARRESTED FOLLOWING BREAK-INS CRM Man arrested following break-ins A man has been arrested after a wave of boat break-ins from vessels moored off Hamilton.

Police arrested the 32-year-old Pembroke man following at least five reports of thefts from boats anchored of the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club over the weekend. Food and clothing were stolen.

In a separate incident, a house in Schools Drive, Devonshire, was broken into sometime on Friday. The house was ransacked and a quantity of cash, a purse and jewellery were stolen.

The West End Primary School was also the target of thieves over the weekend.

The Scott's Hill, Sandys, School was broken into overnight on Friday. A soda machine was forced open, but the raiders were unable to get into the cash box.

And a Sony Discman, a CD player and an inoperable portable CD player were stolen in a raid on a house in South Road, Smiths, after a break-in overnight on Friday.