A SIXTEEN-year-old girl admitted to an Arima magistrate last Friday that she broke into a home in her area and stole $7,000 cash because she "needed things".

Magistrate Adrian Darmanie, sitting in the Arima Third Court, reminded her however that "you can get a five-year sentence in jail for this young lady".

The girl who lives with her father in Malabar pleaded guilty to stealing the money.

According to the court prosecutor who read the charge, the victim, Nadine Baptiste-Emma, left her Arouca home on the morning of June 24, returned on June 27 and found her house broken into and the money missing.

The woman called the Arouca Police who arrested the teenaged girl the next day at her father's home which was not far from that of the victim's.

The police also found three pairs of sneakers, hand cream, make-up, shampoo and conditioner and several bottles of perfume in the girl's bedroom. In addition, they found more than $900 that had not yet been spent.

The girl was taken to the Arouca Police Station where she was charged.

When she appeared before the magistrate, the girl remained expressionless as he called her relatives before the court. He asked her elder brother and sister if they knew what she was up to.

They both admitted that they did not but the girl's sister then said that she would take the 16-year-old to live with her where she would be able to monitor her movements and behaviour.

Magistrate Darmanie agreed but also ordered a probation officer's report and remanded the girl to the juvenile section of the women's prison until July 5 when she would re-appear for sentencing.

—Gyasi Gonzales