A man with a lengthy criminal record who threatened a store manager with a syringe during a theft was handed additional jail time on Monday.
Andrew James Forseth, 28, of no fixed address was sentenced to five more months in jail when he pleaded guilty in Red Deer provincial court to two counts of theft and assault with a weapon.
Crown prosecutor Jason Snider told court that Forseth was observed on Jan. 8 at the Olds Canadian Tire store wheeling a shopping cart full of unpaid goods into the adjoining Mark’s Work Warehouse Ltd. store at about 2 p.m.
Forseth then wheeled the cart out of the Mark’s store with goods pilfered there but was pursued by the store manager.
When asked for a receipt, Forseth couldn’t produce it and attempted to flee in the parking lot.
However, the manager continued his pursuit and was threatened by Forseth, who pulled out a syringe and held it just a few centimetres away from the manager, Snider said.
The manager called police, who quickly responded and arrested Forseth.
The culprit had attempted to steal $1,029 in goods from Mark’s and $609 worth of merchandise from Canadian Tire.
Snider said Forseth had a lengthy record, including several property-related convictions.
Snider, who called Forseth’s record “horrendous,” said he should receive another four to five months in jail in addition to time served.
Defence lawyer Arnold Piragoff sought an additional one or two months in jail followed by probation.
Forseth received seven months credit for the time spent in custody, giving him a total of one year in jail.
He was also given a 10-year firearms prohibition and ordered to surrender a sample of his DNA.