THIRTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Kurt Perreira, an unemployed man of Lot 39 Princes Street, Georgetown, appeared yesterday before Georgetown Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty to answer to the charge that, on June 12 at Princes Street, Georgetown, he broke and entered the dwelling house of Nickel McKay and stole one Blackberry cellular phone, one Samsung Galaxy cellular phone, $10,000 cash Guyana currency, 20 jerseys and 9 jeans, together valued at $324,000.

Police prosecutor Corporal Seon Blackman said the victim and the defendant are cousins and both reside in the same building, but in different apartments in the upper flat.

On the day in question, at about 06:45 hrs, the victim secured his home by the means provided and left for work; but when she returned she observed the defendant running away from the building with a haversack, whereupon she gave chase, but Perreira managed to escape and the articles mentioned in the particulars were discovered missing and were not recovered.

The prosecutor successfully objected to bail being granted to Perreira on the grounds of the nature of the offence, the punishment it attracts, and the likelihood that the defendant may tamper with the witness, since they live in the same building.

Perreira pleaded not guilty to the offence, but was remanded to prison until July 22, when the matter would be called again in court.

(By Geeta Rampersaud)