A Manchester resident who was held with six cellular phones during Carnival road march on April 8 is to go on trial May 15 in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Twenty-year-old Jamar Myrie of Kirkview Terrace, Ingleside, was on Tuesday remanded on three counts of larceny from the person after he was denied bail by Parish Judge Maxine Ellis.

The accused was held by police officers and found with the phones, which included one that was claimed by a reveller whose phone had been stolen earlier that day.

The court heard that, on the day in question, a female reveller felt a tug on her bag. After checking, it was reportedly discovered that her cellular phone was missing.

She is reported to have held on to a nearby man and searched him. However, she did not find her phone.

Later that day, it is alleged that she called her phone and it was answered by a police officer who told her to visit the Half-Way-Tree Police Station to verify that the phone belonged to her, which she did.

It is also reported that on the day of the road march, a police officer saw Myrie acting in a suspicious manner, shortly after which the cop allegedly saw him removing the phones from his pockets.

Police officers reportedly moved towards him and he ran, but was chased and held with the phones and two car keys.

When cautioned by the police, he reportedly said: “Officer, yuh done know how tings guh.”

Myrie’s attorney C J Mitchell, however, maintained that his client had not stolen the phones.

During his bail application, he argued that the Crown’s case was not solid and that the “purported” strength of the case is not the only factor that should be considered.

In the meantime, the investigating officer told the court that the accused is not claiming the cellular phones and that the owners of the other phones have not yet been located.

The officer also reported that two of the phones are encrypted and cannot be opened by police officers to retrieve any information, while two others are without sim cards.

“If the phones are found and he can’t account for them, then clearly this is his modus operandi,” Ellis said.

“So you mean to tell me say no time of the year people can’t let down them hair and not have to worry?” the judge remarked before refusing Myrie’s bail.

— Tanesha Mundle