WAILUKU — A woman who said she had stayed out of trouble after being arrested for stealing from two employers last year was placed on four years’ probation Tuesday.
Heather Sijalbo, 19, of Wailuku was released from jail after being incarcerated for 20 days after she didn’t show up in court March 1, when she was originally set to be sentenced.
Sijalbo said she didn’t appear because she forgot and later turned herself in.
She asked for a chance to keep convictions off her record after pleading no contest to two counts of second-degree theft.
The prosecution opposed the request, based on the nature of the crimes.
Sijalbo was working at a bikini store when she helped her friends steal thousands of dollars’ worth of bikinis May 25, said Deputy Prosecutor Brandon Segal. After discovering the theft, her employer called Sijalbo, but she didn’t return to work, Segal said.
About a week later, from May 29 to June 7, Sijalbo was caught stealing gift cards and “even stealing tips from other therapists” at a spa where she was working, Segal said.
He said that while her cases were pending, Sijalbo was arrested in an underage drinking case in October.
Sijalbo reported drinking alcohol once every two weeks to the point of blacking out, Segal said. “But she does not feel she has a drinking problem,” Segal said. “It’s indicative to the state she’s not taking this seriously.”
Sijalbo said she was going to school full time and works as a distributor for a business.
“Since these incidents from last year, I have been staying out of trouble,” she said.
She said she changed her friends.
When 2nd Circuit Judge Richard Bissen asked whether Sijalbo had paid back or kept some of the items she helped her friends steal, she said no.
“So far, you got 20 days in jail for doing this,” Bissen told her.
She said she had kept the gift cards stolen from her other employer.
“I guess I don’t understand why you did this,” Bissen said. “Just for kicks? Just for fun? What did you learn?”
“That it’s not OK,” Sijalbo said. “It was a stupid action of me to do.”
The judge denied her request for a chance to keep the convictions off her record. Sijalbo was ordered to pay $2,315 in restitution to the bikini store.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at .
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