Asamankese (E/R), May 21, GNA - Seventeen-year-old Philip Agbeko, an apprentice carpenter, who broke the side glass of a parked car and stole its radio and cassette player has been fined 500,000 cedis by the Asamankese Circuit Court.

Agbeko, who pleaded guilty, will serve six months' imprisonment in hard labour in default. In addition, he was ordered to pay 100,000 cedis to the car owner or go to prison for three months.

The Judge, Mr S. S. Appiah described Agbeko as a hardened criminal in the making, for having the courage to break in the car at his age. According to Inspector Osei Owusu, one Mr Godwin Opoku parked his car on the night of April 28 at Suhum and went to bed only to discover the next morning that the side glass had been smashed and the radio-cassette player removed.

Days later he had information that it was Agbeko, who stole the radio-cassette player. A report was made to the Police and he was arrested. He admitted the offence and showed the Police where he had hidden it. Inspector Owusu said Agbeko's parents have disowned him because of his bad character.