It is one of the most-common offences heard in Prince George Provincial Court, but shoplifters guilty of theft under $5,000 rarely face a lengthy jail sentence.
The frequency of charges and prosecution appears to lie in the perceived ease of committing the offence and the mistaken belief by offenders that it is a victimless crime.
“It harms businesses and harms employees,” said Judge Cassandra Malfair said in an April sentencing hearing. “It harms customers. It drives up costs for everyone. It necessitates the hiring of security guards, which not only, again, raises costs, but it affects the shopping environment for everyone.”
On June 11, Dana Leanne Marshall, who was born in 1971, pleaded guilty to theft under $5,000 and breach of a release order. Her next appearance is in August to schedule sentencing.
Malfair heard that Marshall was part of a scheme to pay for basic items — such as popcorn, bread and milk — at Real Canadian Superstore on Ferry Avenue on March 11. Her partner in crime, Kenneth James Marshall, born 1972, left the store with bags containing more-expensive items, including electronics, totalling $1,057.
He was caught immediately and the merchandise returned to the retailer. Kenneth Marshall pleaded guilty April 30 to the same charges and was sentenced to time served and a 12-month probation term.
Malfair expressed reluctance on April 7 in accepting the joint Crown and defence proposal for sentencing repeat offender Eryk Christopher Edge.
The 44-year-old was placed under 150 days house arrest and a year’s probation after he had been caught breaching a court order at Winners/Homesense in Pine Centre Mall in January 2024. He stole items in February 2024 from Save-On-Foods in College Heights and, at the end of May 2024, he tried to get away with a full cart of groceries worth $788.82 by bus.
Malfair admitted the man was undeterred from reoffending: He had spent 30 days in 2022 under home confinement for possessing stolen property and had a 60-day sentence in 2024 for two counts of theft. Malfair banned Edge from going to the Winners/Homesense in Prince George and any Save-On-Foods stores or parking lots in BC.
Feeding a drug habit was a motivation for Edge. He had an 18-year hospitality industry career. But, due to cocaine and methamphetamine use, court heard he could not afford to feed himself.
Similarly for Amanda Blaine Ketlo, 39. She pleaded guilty to three counts of theft under $5,000, failure to appear in court, breach of a release order and personation with intent to avoid arrest.
Ketlo had been caught shoplifting from four different Prince George retailers in a six-month period in 2023. Crown sought a 39-day jail sentence, reduced to 21 days after factoring credit for time served. Defence proposed time served plus the 30-day conditional sentence.
On Jan. 23, Malfair gave her a 30-day conditional sentence.
“Miss Ketlo went through some tragedies, and as a result, found herself using drugs and homeless in Prince George,” Malfair said in her judgment. “Was assaulted a number of times, believes she's seen some brain damage as a result of being hit in the head during these incidents, including being hit in the head with an axe.”
Malfair urged her to seek treatment for addiction and banned her from visiting the Real Canadian Superstore, London Drugs or Winners/Home Sense stores in Prince George.
Another judge, David Simpkin, sentenced Jacob Johan Vanderminne, 32, to 60 days time served and one-year probation after a joint proposal from Crown and defence on May 5.
Vanderminne had been waiting in jail for 155 days, which qualified him for 233 days credit under the 1.5-to-1 system of enhanced credit for time served.
Vanderminne had 13 prior breaches of probation or undertaking and 10 prior convictions for theft.
Court also heard Vanderminne was caught in May 2024 leaving the Lululemon flagship store on Robson and Burrard streets in Vancouver with $860.16 worth of merchandise. Last August, he stole two razors from London Drugs in Parkwood Place in Prince George worth $123.73.
He was already on probation, banned from visiting any London Drugs in B.C. and failed to show for a meeting with a probation officer.
Vanderminne remained in custody, however, for a scheduled late July trial on charges from an alleged December 2024 break and enter and theft.
A shoplifter that Simpkin sentenced early this year had circumstances that he called “a little strange.”
Travis Howard Golar pleaded guilty of stealing $565.71 of groceries, earrings, makeup and a jacket, but not to feed a drug habit. The 36-year-old wanted to “look sharp” to reunite with his daughters.
“He found himself in dire financial straits and he didn't have food in the house, and he didn't have anything to give them as kids,” Simpkin said on Jan. 14.
The Crown sought a 30-day jail sentence and one-year probation. He had breached 25 orders, undertakings and probation and was convicted five previous times for theft. In 2017, he was behind bars for 120 days for assault causing bodily harm.
Golar’s defence lawyer asked for a suspended sentence and condition to stay away from the store.
Simpkin settled on a suspended sentence and a year on probation for Golar.
