Leroy Charlie was released to his parents and told to stay on their west coast reserve after he was caught stealing from Quality Foods.
Store staff and the loss prevention officer pinned Charlie down in the parking lot, along with $110 in meat he had taken.
He told police he made the theft because he hadn’t eaten for 5 days, but Crown Prosecutor Gordon Baines said if that was the case, he would tave taken ready-to-eat food, not something that requires cooking.
Baines said meat is often sold on the street for drug money, or traded for drugs.
Charlie received a 3 month community sentence order and told to repay $110 to Quality Foods.
A 41-year old Port Alberni man was sentenced for using a stolen credit card to buy a $1500 TV from Walmart.
Christopher White was also breaching probation conditions and was given 43 days in jail.
White denied stealing to support a drug habit, saying he only did drugs since there was nothing else to do in Port Alberni.