MONTEGO BAY, St James — A 2025 theft case involving a young man who said he acted out of desperation to support his mother’s medical needs is now shifting toward resolution, following an initial payment made toward compensation.
Romaine Christie, charged with simple larceny for fleeing a Montego Bay electronics store with three Samsung phones worth $573,000, has paid $40,000 toward repaying the affected party. The incident, which took place in September 2025, saw Christie pretend to inspect the devices before bolting from the store. He was apprehended shortly thereafter.
During earlier court proceedings, Christie admitted to selling the phones to assist with his mother’s planned eye surgery. However, Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton questioned him after learning the funds had not gone toward the procedure. Christie explained that the operation was postponed due to his mother’s elevated blood pressure, which rendered surgery unsafe at the time.
The case was referred to mediation where an agreement for repayment was struck. Christie’s father had previously appeared in court, appealing for leniency and pledging support to repay the value of the stolen items.
On Wednesday, the matter returned to court before Judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce. With partial repayment now on record, the case remains active and could proceed to trial if full restitution is not completed in the timeframe agreed upon during mediation.
