A 57-year-old Hailey woman has been sentenced to 15 days in jail for trying to steal a shopping cart full of groceries in January from Atkinsons' Market in Hailey.
Kimberlee Boyett pleaded guilty to misdemeanor petit theft Monday in Blaine County Magistrate Court prior to sentencing by Judge R. Ted Israel, who followed the recommendation of Hailey City Prosecutor Rick Allington. The judge also fined Boyett $150 and placed her on two years supervised probation.
Boyett was also convicted in 2009 of petit theft for stealing a cartload of groceries from Albertsons grocery store in Hailey in 2008. In that case she was sentenced to five days in jail.
"Two of these things within a year—there's something going on here," Allington said at the hearing. "I don't know what's going on here, if there's some psychological issues, or she's just stealing on impulse."
He said Boyett was also convicted of petit theft in 1989.
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Boyett testified at the hearing that she stole the groceries because her family needed the food. She said her husband's hours and wages had been cut by his employer and that the couple has two adult children who live with them.
"We were in a dire financial situation and I didn't have any money to buy groceries," Boyett said. "I feel very bad for my actions. I don't know how to cope with being broke."
Defense attorney Robert Fallowfield asked that Boyett's jail sentence not be imposed until October because she currently has two seasonal jobs—one taking care of horses and the other house-sitting—that will be over by then. However, Israel said punishment must be more immediate. He gave Boyett until June 19 to report to jail.
The judge noted that Boyett's theft history "goes back 20 years."
"It's obvious you have a problem," Israel said. "If you're going to steal, there are going to be consequences. If you're going to steal, you're going to go to jail.
"Frankly, if I had a home, I wouldn't want you in it because I'd be afraid you'd be stealing."
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com
