Two-and-a-half Year Sentence Upheld for Hot Dog Bun Thief

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The country’s top court has affirmed the conviction and two-and-a-half year sentence of a man who stole a $6 pack of hot dog buns from a church.

Elkeno Wallace pleaded guilty to shop breaking and sacrilege in relation to the September 13, 2022 break-in and theft at East Street Gospel Chapel.

Around 1:30am on the day in question, police officers responded to an alarm activation at the church. On arrival, the officers noticed a broken southern window. During a check of the building, the officers found Wallace crouched near a window.

While questioned by the officers, Wallace said he used a garbage bin to break the window. After he entered the building, he stole the hot dog buns from the refrigerator.

Magistrate Samuel McKinney took Wallace’s history of breaking into buildings and trespassing  into consideration when he imposed the sentence.

Wallace had previously received jail terms of two years for housebreaking and six months for shopbreaking.

Wallace’s lawyer Bjorn Ferguson argued that the offense of shop-breaking did not exist as it was not found in the Penal Code.

However, the Court of Appeal justices found no merit in this argument and upheld the conviction.

As for the sentence, the Court said it was not unduly harsh.