A farmer who was caught on camera stealing items from a man’s yard, including an orchid, insisted that he only stole three palm trees — even though he was shown a picture of himself stealing the $36,000 plant.

Wileslie McKenzie, 69, was caught on camera stealing a piece of a solar panel, some potted plants and the orchid.

However, on Thursday when he appeared in court on a charge of simple larceny, he denied stealing those items.

“Is not me thief that, is only three palm trees mi tek,” he said.

“The camera catch you, the camera don’t lie,” Judge Pusey said to McKenzie.

He was then shown a black and white photo of himself with the orchid in his hand, but maintained his innocence.

“Mi nuh tek no orchid,” McKenzie insisted.

The judge then asked him if he had ever been in trouble with the law before and he said he had been arrested for being in a fight.

But the judge did not believe him and asked him to tell her the truth. He then indicated that he had been to jail three times and had gone to prison once.

When Judge Pusey asked him to tell her why she should not send him to prison, McKenzie said his wife was cripple and had high blood pressure.

The magistrate told him that she was inclined to send him to prison because he was being untruthful, but after hearing about his wife and that he had already spent 20 days in custody, fined him $10,000.

If the fine is not paid, McKenzie will serve six months in prison.