Job Search Woes Lead Man to Repeatedly Vandalize Supermarket Goods for Decades
What brings comfort on a challenging day? Perhaps a cup of teh siew dai, or indulging in some Netflix?
But have you ever considered the catharsis of tearing open food packages?
Admittedly, this act can release pent-up energy and, upon closer inspection, serve as an external manifestation of an internal emotional state.
This is the chosen coping mechanism of 51-year-old Ng Peng Soon, who, unfortunately, lacks the discernment to know when to cease this method of stress relief.
Consequently, he has been in and out of jail since 1994.
But was this truly his intention?
Studied Up to Primary 8
Ng’s lawyer, Mr Ryan David Lim, from the Public Defender’s Office (PDO), revealed that Ng had twice failed his Primary School Leaving Examination and only attained education up to Primary 8, according to CNA.
An Institute of Mental Health (IMH) report highlighted that Ng has a psychiatric history inclusive of borderline intellectual functioning, antisocial personality disorder, and poor frustration tolerance.
Following an IQ assessment, it was discovered that Ng has a borderline IQ of 77, while a score of at least 85 is considered average intelligence.
His limited capability to mentally manage stress has purportedly led to his recurrent incarcerations for nearly 30 years since his twenties.
Almost 30 Years of Convictions
Ng’s criminal record dates back to 1994, with his most recent convictions in 2018 and 2021 for similar offences of theft and mischief.
In 2018, he faced six charges and received a 23-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to stealing a $96 earpiece from Popular bookstore in White Sands mall and committing two counts of mischief.
He attempted to scrape the barcode off the earpiece box to avoid triggering the store’s alarm during his departure.
Ng removed the earpiece, concealed the box with an assessment book on a bookshelf, and left without paying.
While on bail for the earpiece theft, he vented his frustrations by using a nail clipper to open 96 packets of rice worth over $1,000 at FairPrice supermarkets within a week.
It’s noteworthy that he repeated this act over a similar duration in FairPrice outlets in Tampines and Ang Mo Kio.
In 2021, he was sentenced to 34 months’ jail for comparable offences.
Upon his release on remission in September 2022, Ng stole a box of toothpaste from Watsons and a bra from a Tampines supermarket, concealing it in his pocket before exiting.
Despite the escalating severity of his sentences, Ng remained undeterred.
Moving On With Giant This Time
Mirroring the trends in GST hike absorptions, Ng expanded his activities beyond NTUC FairPrice to include Giant supermarkets.
In July this year, he visited various supermarkets, including Giant at Suntec City, FairPrice Xtra at Nex mall, and an NTUC FairPrice in Bedok North.
He tore open hundreds of snack packets at Giant in Suntec City, 50 packets of rice in one go at Jurong Point, and more.
For the curious, he used a penknife to slit open the rice packets.
Why did he do so?
He was frustrated because he could not find a job. That’s it.
In total, he ripped 294 snack packets and 202 packets of rice, resulting in approximately S$5,800 in losses for the affected supermarkets.
RIP rice packets.
Ng was apprehended on July 20 and has since been in custody.
Asked For Lighter Sentence, Got Rejected
Although Ng’s repetitive offences seem to stem from his mental health condition, the judge was not swayed.
He noted that the IMH report did not substantiate the defence’s arguments.
The report clarified that Ng had no mental illness or intellectual disability.
This means, his condition did not result in his offences.
However, IMH did suggest that Ng is likely to reoffend.
Regarding fines, the judge recognised Ng’s financial incapacity and did not impose any.
What Ng urgently requires are psychotherapy sessions, which his sister has committed to ensuring he attends this time around, after more than three decades.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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