Man paid to protect farm caught stealing pineapples

A St Catherine security guard hired to protect a pineapple farm has admitted stealing from the very property he was paid to watch after he was allegedly caught with a bag full of prized Sugar Loaf pineapples.

Nicholas Hadlam pleaded guilty to praedial larceny when he appeared before Acting Parish Court Judge Janelle Nelson-Gayle on July 31.

The judge granted Hadlam $100,000 bail with surety and ordered that he be fingerprinted, a social enquiry report prepared, and that he report to the Linstead Police Station every Friday.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2026.

According to the prosecution, on July 22, 2026, a representative of Tradewinds Citrus visited a pineapple orchard near Bog Walk, where Hadlam had been assigned to guard the property.

The court heard that Hadlam was allegedly seen picking Sugar Loaf pineapples and placing them into a bag.

When confronted, he initially denied stealing the fruit but later admitted to the theft.

The police were called to the scene, and Hadlam was arrested and subsequently charged.

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