Placentia Mayoral Candidate Found Guilty of Theft from Costco

Bernie Power, a mayoral candidate in Placentia, was found guilty of theft from Costco in St. John's. He received an absolute discharge and was banned from Costco. Power served as mayor for four years but was defeated in 2021. A second candidate, Jamie Neville, has also filed nomination papers. Voters will decide on October 2 who will occupy the town's top elected post.

In a surprising turn of events, Bernie Power, one of the candidates for mayor in the Town of Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, was found guilty of stealing merchandise from Costco in St. John's. The incident, which occurred on April 17, led to Power's conviction in provincial court on August 8 [1].

The court documents reveal that Power received an absolute discharge for the theft, which means there was no conviction recorded and no criminal record was created. The charge was theft under $5,000, and the type of merchandise involved or its value remains unspecified [1].

Power, who served as mayor for four years until his defeat in 2021, was banned from Costco during the legal process. Despite initially agreeing to an interview, he later stopped taking calls from CBC News [1].

A second candidate, Jamie Neville, has also filed nomination papers, creating a two-person mayoral race. Voters in Placentia, a town of approximately 3,300 residents with an annual operating budget above $7 million, will decide on October 2 who will occupy the town's top elected post [1].

The incident has raised questions about Power's eligibility and suitability for the mayoral position, but the town's voters will ultimately decide his fate. The other seats on the council are also up for election, with nine candidates vying for the five available positions [1].

References:
[1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/placentia-mayor-theft-1.7624154