SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Yellowknife man who tried to walk out of Canadian Tire without paying for a new pair of boots on his feet received a $600 fine for shoplifting on Feb. 8.

"What makes you think you don't have to pay for stuff?" territorial court Judge Bernadette Schmaltz asked the offender, Clement Koe. "The world's not here for you to take from."

Koe, 27, pleaded guilty to the charge of theft under $5,000.

Crown prosecutor Janice Walsh told the court that on Dec. 3, 2010, staff at the Canadian Tire store caught Koe trying to leave after he replaced his shoes with a new pair of boots valued at $129.99. When the RCMP arrived, they found Koe in one of the offices with staff from the store. Koe also admitted to trying to steal a pair of gloves priced at $29.99.

Walsh asked for a "short" jail term to send a message to Koe that this type of behaviour is unacceptable.

"The company would have lost out if he'd been able to leave (the store)," she said.

Schmaltz said Koe's criminal record included 18 property-related offences.

Defence lawyer Hugh Latimer said the criminal record stretches back years and asked the court to give his client credit for admitting to the crime and for co-operating with the police.

Latimer also said Koe has an alcohol problem and was intoxicated at the time of the offence.

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