Elder jailed for theft
Rankin Inlet man gets 20 months for attempting to crack safe

Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (May 20/98) - Lucien Tootoo didn't hear the judge when he was convicted for breaking into a Rankin Inlet business earlier this year.

Judge Michel Bourassa had to repeat the 20-month sentence that will see Tootoo behind bars for 20 months for breaking into Ivalu, a NWT Development Corp. clothing manufacturer in the community March 21.

He was caught by an employee's boyfriend as he was leaving the building during the early morning hours. He had broken into the building and dragged the safe eight metres and tried to pry in open with a drill and crowbar.

He struggled with the safe for 20 minutes before leaving the building without successfully opening it. He caused $800 in damage to the business.

Tootoo, 49, told police that he wanted the money in the safe to play cards and gamble.

"All of this was to support a gambling habit," said crown prosecutor Margo Nightingale. "Having the drill bits on him suggests he was prepared for it."

She requested a jail sentence of nine and 12 weeks for Tootoo.

Bourassa said that Tootoo is just going through life without any regard for anyone.

"I'm told he has blackouts when he drinks, but he formulated a plan to break and enter and armed himself with drill bits," he said. "Twenty months in jail."

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