KINGSTON, Jamaica — A higgler who pleaded guilty to snatching more than US$10,000 from the arms of a businesswoman in downtown Kingston was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment after he told the magistrate that he would only serve 30 days.

Andre Cunningham, a 22-year-old resident of Charles Street in Kingston, pleaded guilty to larceny from the person when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Reports are that approximately 2:30 pm on September 9, the complainant was on her way from FirstCaribbean International Bank with an envelope containing US$13,065, when the accused walked up to her, grabbed the envelope and ran off.

Cunningham was reportedly chased and held by the police and the envelope recovered.

When he appeared in court on Tuesday, Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey asked the accused man: “How long you plan to spend in jail?”

“Thirty days,” he replied.

He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison.

“People must be able to walk in my country with their things,” Pusey said.

A fingerprint order was also made.

Racquel Porter