A6

By Jamie Ross

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HAMPTON - A Saint John woman was sentenced to six months in jail for a July break, during which she stole nearly $15,000 in cash from a friend.

Krista MacPhee, 24, appeared before Judge Henrik Tonning in Hampton Provincial Court Aug. 26, offering a forced apology to her friend, Kevin Saunders, from whom she stole the money.

On July 1, Saunders and his girlfriend left his Quispamsis home to watch the Canada Day fireworks in Saint John.

Saunders had gotten several phone calls over the course of the night from MacPhee, which he thought to be strange.

When Saunders returned to his Chamberlain Road home later that night, his house had been ransacked, and nearly $15,000 had been stolen from his dresser drawer.

After contacting police, a witness next-door gave the description similar to a person known to Saunders and his girlfriend.

The suspect had arrived by taxi to the house at around 8:30 p.m. and left by the same taxi shortly after.

Rothesay Regional Police contacted taxi services in the area and found one who had made a fare to the Chamberlain Rd. residence on that night, which led them to MacPhee's door.

Police then visited MacPhee at her apartment, and questioned her about the stolen money.

She denied taking it initially, but admitted to the break and enter shortly after, and retrieved the money from behind her bathtub.

MacPhee claimed she was the victim of blackmail, and that she had taken the money to protect her and her family. Unwilling to discuss the matter in court or with counsel, Tonning sentenced her to jail time.

"If she's not prepared to disclose the situation, than there's not much I can do," he said. "There are no rehab issues I can assess."