An 18-year-old youth, who cannot be named due to his age during the commission of some offences, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including theft, housebreaking, and causing grievous hurt by performing a negligent act.
The youth, now 19, committed these offences while out on bail for previous crimes, which included injuring two pedestrians with an electric bicycle and stealing a toy car.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CASE
- The offender pleaded guilty to various charges, including theft, housebreaking, and causing grievous hurt through negligent acts, stemming from incidents involving the theft of four cars and injuring pedestrians while riding an e-bike.
- While he was 17, the offender struck two pedestrians with an electric bicycle in Sengkang, resulting in serious injuries, including fractures.
- In July 2023, he stole a radio-controlled toy car worth approximately $3,000 from a shop, later attempted to return it after being identified in CCTV footage, but left a misleading contact number.
- While on bail, the youth stole four cars (two Hondas, a BMW, and a Porsche) in July 2024, driving them despite not having a license and returning three of them to their original location.
According to Straits Times report, the incidents began in March 2023 when the offender, then 17, rode an e-bike recklessly in Sengkang, leading to injuries including fractures for two pedestrians.
On July 26, 2023, he climbed over a fence in Sims Avenue and stole a radio-controlled toy car valued at around $3,000 from a shop. After playing with the toy car on a road in Geylang, he noticed the shop owner had posted CCTV footage of the theft on Instagram and grew concerned about being identified.
In a bid to avoid repercussions, the youth returned to the shop the following day at approximately 3:30 a.m., returning the stolen toy car along with a note apologizing for his actions.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicole Teo noted that he also included a contact number, intentionally altering the last two digits so that the shop owner could not reach him.
Unfortunately, the toy car was later discovered to be damaged, requiring repairs costing around $960.
While out on bail, the youth went on to steal four cars from Kim Chuan Drive in July 2024, including two Hondas, a BMW, and a Porsche, on separate occasions.
Many of these vehicles were found unlocked with their keys inside, and despite not possessing a driving license, he drove the cars and even gave a friend a ride home on two occasions. He managed to return three of the stolen vehicles to Kim Chuan Drive but abandoned the fourth in Defu Lane after failing to restart it.
On April 8, the court ordered reports to evaluate the teenager’s suitability for probation and reformative training.
Young offenders who are sentenced to reformative training are placed in a facility where they undergo a strict regimen, which may include foot drills and counselling.
The youth is set to be sentenced in May, the report added.
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