People make mistakes all the time.
The important thing isn’t about making mistakes, it’s about not repeating them.
But when you constantly repeat that same mistake intentionally? That’s when things take a turn for the worse.
Man Steals Phones And Laptops
Such is the case of one 47-year old Sim Chye Lai.
He pleaded guilty to six charges of theft, with another 10 charges taken into consideration.
According to CNA, he was sentenced on 23 June to eight years of preventive detention for stealing phones and laptops at public libraries across Singapore.
His previous sentence saw him serve 7 years of jail but it wasn’t his only offence.
He has apparently been reoffending all the way back since 1989.
Mass Stealing Spree
He reportedly committed 16 offences last year from August to November, six months after he was released from jail.
During this period, he was caught, released on bail before finally having his bail revoked.
On Aug 8, 2019, he went to library@harbourfront intending to steal unattended items and sell them for cash.
He managed to nab a Huawei phone and tablet and tried to sell them.
For some reason, he failed to consider that the phone had a password and tossed it in a bin.
The owner, sadly, couldn’t retrieve the items despite a police report.
Sim also took two more phones at Sembawang library from a man who left them charging. He even took a girl’s laptop while he was at it too.
Then on 1 Oct the same year, he stole a laptop worth over $1,100 at library@orchard when the owner went to the toilet.
This time, though, the owner alerted the librarian yet was unable to identify him through CCTV footage.
But his luck ran out eventually.
Follow us on Telegram for more informative & easy-to-read articles, or download the Goody Feed app for articles you can’t find on Facebook!
Caught
A library manager on duty at Bishan Public Library recognised Sim from the footage nine days later, as she had handed the footage over to the police.
She tailed him to Serangoon Public Library and called the police who promptly caught him.
After he was released on bail, he went back to stealing items again.
It was over for Sim.
A Trail Of Offences and Punishments
He even made trouble after he got caught.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Colin Ng said Sim wasn’t very cooperative and requested for eight years of preventive detention.
He noted that Sim has been stealing non-stop since 1989.
Some offences include theft by a clerk or servant in 1989, theft in 1990, theft in 1991, theft and cheating in 1998, theft in 2002 and theft by a clerk or servant in 2012.
While he only got fined at first, punishments escalated to corrective training to the previous case of preventive detention.
DPP Ng felt the current sentence was appropriate to make sure he has no chance to commit those crimes again.
I want to say I hope Sim learns his lesson for real this time, but even the District Judge says its highly likely he might continue these actions again.
To stay in the loop about news in Singapore, you might want to subscribe to our YouTube channel whereby we’d update you about what’s happening here daily:
Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:
Read Also:
- Woman Tried Bribing Officer in S’pore Immigration, Thinking It’s a M’sia Officer
- There Might Not Be Crazy Rich Asians 2 in the Near Future
- Everything About Donald Trump’s Controversial Cabinet’s Picks That Are Known So Far
- Pet-Friendly Cafe Just 10 Minutes Away From JB CIQ Has Furry Floral Decor, Pastries & Mains
- 4 Handrolls For S$4 At Japanese Handroll Bar In Duxton Road On 17 November 2024
- Everything About The Deepfake Nude Photo Scandal in S’pore Sports School
Advertisements
