Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 27/98) - Two former Yellowknife residents who stole $5,000 from pop machines around the city won't be spending any time in jail.

Robert Martin Andreason, 26, and Christopher Donald Hrynczuk, 21, were convicted of mischief and theft charges Sept. 23 in Vancouver, B.C. Both men pleaded guilty.

They were given suspended sentences that will keep them out of jail as long as they abide by the conditions of their probation. Andreason will be on probation for two years and Hrynczuk for one year.

Neither were ordered to pay any restitution.

They were convicted for 19 incidents that involved breaking into vending machines and stealing $5,000, as well as causing more than $2,000 damage to the machines between last Feb. 16 and March 14.

Sgt. Marlin Degrand of the Yellowknife RCMP detachment said the accused were required by law to plead guilty when they moved out of the territories.

"They had applied to have charges moved out of the jurisdiction on the condition of a guilty plea -- so they pleaded guilty," he said.

Degrand said police are disappointed with the sentence.

"It's almost as if we shouldn't have charged them," he added.