Yellowknife (May 13/05) - A "bumbling" crook discovered under a pile of clothes in a downtown clothing store was sentenced to four months behind bars Tuesday in territorial court.

Louis Jerome, 35, pleaded guilty to break and enter and mischief during a brief appearance.

Jerome and two other men kicked their way through drywall at For Men Only on 50th Street on April 20th, said Crown Attorney Sandra Aitken.

A witness saw the break-in and called police, who nabbed two men in the alley behind the store. They were eventually released.

Police later entered the store and found an incoherent Jerome hiding underneath a pile of clothes in a back room. His shoes were covered in drywall dust.

Jerome was high on crack-cocaine at the time and the break-in involved little planning, said his lawyer, Glen Boyd. "It was rather bumbling (and) unsophisticated."

Jerome apologized for his "stupidity," but said he has little recollection of the break-in. "I don't really know what to say. I don't really remember much."

Jerome has a lengthy criminal record with more than 20 convictions for property offences dating back nearly two decades, the court heard.

"It is about three feet long," said Judge Brian Bruser, who noted Jerome has been in his courtroom several times.

While Bruser wished him good luck, the judge said there was no doubt Jerome would be back in court again.

We'll meet again

"I don't have a crystal ball. I don't need one," Bruser said. "You and I are going to meet again."

Bruser, who regularly shops at For Men Only, raised the possibility that he was in a conflict of interest.

"In fact, I was going to get a pair of pants there (this afternoon)," he said.

Both Aitken and Boyd said they had no problem with him passing sentence.