IN A crime spree that spanned over almost two years, an unemployed man stole or misappropriated items worth $617,175.
Mark Tan Kok Leng struck at three jewellery shops in Tiong Bahru Plaza, Jurong Point and Chinatown and made off with $543,856 worth of items from January to September last year.
He also prowled the corridors in Housing Board estates to spot flats to break into.
Once, he molested a 22-year-old victim, and in another incident, he pushed and robbed a tipsy woman returning home in the early hours.
Yesterday, Tan, 29, was jailed for seven years and ordered to be given 24 strokes of the cane on 13 charges involving stolen items totalling about $584,000.
Tan, whose sentence was backdated to Sept 28, had 28 other charges considered.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Jing Feng told District Judge Roy Neighbour that Tan broke into flats in Pasir Ris, Havelock Road, Bukit Batok, Petain Road and Bukit Merah View and made off with goods worth between $350 and $27,600.
He gained entry through main doors or windows that were not secured.
In the robbery-with-hurt case on Jan 24 last year, he was at a block in Kim Tian Road at about 3.30am when he called out to a 25-year-old Malaysian woman who ignored him.
He followed her up a flight of steps, grabbed hold of her right arm and pushed her. When she lay unconscious, he stole her handbag and fled. She was given six day's hospitalisation leave.
About a fortnight later, he broke into Citigems jewellery store at Tiong Bahru Plaza to steal Valentine's Day gifts for his girlfriend. He picked the lock securing the glass panels and stole 12 items worth $16,078.
On Sept 21, he used improvised keys to unlock the roller shutters of Chung Hwa Jade and Jewellery at People's Park Complex and took $475,473 worth of jewellery.
Police recovered $455,360 of the loot when they raided his home five days later after his arrest at Bukit Gombak MRT station where a foldable knife was found on him.
He admitted selling 12 pieces of jewellery on two occasions to a shop for $20,113 and spending all the money.
Pressing for a stiff sentence, DPP Eunice Chong said his propensity to commit property-related offences showed his blatant disregard for the property rights of others.
Among the aggravating factors were the premeditated and calculated acts, the manner in which the offences were commited and the multiple charges.
Lawyer Peter Fernando said his client's major depressive disorder had caused him to commit the offences. But a government psychiatrist had found Tan to have a "personality disorder" which had no casual link to his offences.
(Taken from The Straits Times, Friday, June 10 2011, Page C14)
why is caning imposed for a crime involving burglary?
i really dont understand.
armed?
Originally posted by dragg:why is caning imposed for a crime involving burglary?
i really dont understand.
There were many charges involving the man, like molesting, all charges were counted against the man.