Rash of candy thefts catches up with local man

A thief with a sweet tooth tried to take a bite out of a customer as he attempted to help a downtown store owner nab the shoplifter.

The Feb. 21 incident was among five theft charges - four of which occurred during a week - Thomas Agawa pleaded guilty to Friday in a Sault Ste. Marie courtroom.

Agawa, 32, also was convicted of assault and failure to attend court, as well as four counts of breach of probation.

Ontario Court Justice John Condon heard Agawa's shoplifting spree began on Feb. 15.

City police police were contacted about a theft from Dollarama in the Station Mall.

It was shortly before 11a.m. when Agawa made off with $19 worth of candy, prosecutor Karen Pritchard said.

All of the items were recovered. He was arrested and released on an undertaking, not to attend the mall.

Four days later, officers responded to a 10:30 a.m. call about a theft at the Esso Gas Bar on Wellington Street West, involving a male with a plastic bag filled with candy, chocolate bars and popsicles.

Agawa, who was on probation, was nabbed with $59 worth of goodies.

On Feb. 20, he was spotted at Moore's General Store on North Street at 3:35 p.m.

A male, wearing a puffy grey jacket and jeans, made off with several chocolate items, a power drink and butter tarts.

He ran out of the store with $34 worth of merchandise.

The thief was later identified as Agawa.

The following morning he was at R&B Lottery Shop on Queen Street East, where he attempted to leave the store without paying for a bagful of grocery items, including chocolate and ice cream bars, valued at $97. 

The owner grabbed his coat, the customer stepped in to help, and Agawa tried to bite him.

Police arrested the accused near the city bus terminal, Pritchard told the court.

Agawa also was convicted of a theft that occurred on April 9, 2022 at the Sault Area Hospital where he stole a nurse's cell phone.

The assistant Crown attorney and defence lawyer Eric McCooeye jointly recommended that his client be sentenced to time served, and be placed on probation for two years.

Agawa has been in custody for 151 days and with enhanced credit for that time, the sentence is the equivalent of 227 days behind bars.

Pritchard said the accused has a substantial record with a number of related convictions for thefts and breaches of court orders.

Stealing candy and pop may be minor, but the sheer volume of Agawa's thefts weren't.

He steals from different places, targeting vulnerable people at local establishments, the Crown said.

McCooeye described the sentence as appropriate, balancing protection of the public and denunciation, with the need for specific deterrence.

The court is "dealing with a disadvantaged individual," he told Condon. 

Agawa struggles with mental health issues, and there are "genuine concerns  about his well-being, but he seems to be coming along," McCooeye said.

"It is part of his makeup and leads to these type of offences and he's almost immediately arrested."

During his probation, Agawa must stay away from the four businesses and have no contact with the complainants.

Condon also imposed a 10-year weapons prohibition and ordered him to provide a DNA sample for the national registry.