Teenager gets reformative training for stealing S$2 from drunk man

SINGAPORE: A teenager who stole S$2 from a drunk man at a multi-purpose hall was sentenced to six months' reformative training on Monday (Feb 17).

This came a week after his accomplice was given a year's stint at a reformative training centre for his part in the theft. 

Muhammad Faizal Johan, 18, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft by common intention.

The court heard that he met two friends - Mohamad Iqbal Sali and Syauqi Syiraz Mohamed Ali - at the multi-purpose hall at Block 68, Circuit Road, at 1am on Aug 18 last year. They met to play guitar and sing songs, said State Prosecuting Officer S Krishnan.

They saw the victim, a 63-year-old man, lying on the floor with a bag beside him. He appeared to be drunk, and Syauqi suggested stealing the items from the man's bag.

The two others agreed and approached the victim while Syauqi stood nearby to keep a lookout.

The victim was fast asleep, so Faizal unzipped his bag and rummaged through his belongings. Iqbal took a wallet from the bag and stole S$2 from it.

A woman and her relatives were on their way home when they saw the boys rummaging through the victim's bag, the court heard.

One of them shouted at the boys, and they fled. The woman called the police, and their acts were captured by police cameras at the hall.

The three boys were arrested hours later but the stolen S$2 was not recovered, court documents said.

The prosecutor said a report recommended reformative training for Faizal, and said he was not objecting to this.

Faizal, who was unrepresented, said he wanted to plead for a light sentence. When told that he had previously been placed on probation and breached the conditions, Faizal said: "No, but that was the past."

He had been given 15 months' probation in July 2018 for offences includng trespassing into an HDB upgrading office, stealing cigarettes from a 7-Eleven, and a packet of Calbee Hot & Spicy potato chips from a shop.

District Judge May Mesenas told him that "there are consequences", and that the probation officer had given him many warnings.

"It's about time you understand there are legal consequences," she said. "Do you want to continue living this kind of life? Thinking and hoping that the best will happen and you will not be caught?"

"No," replied Faizal. He said he would push himself to a more positive side of life moving forward and focus on National Service after serving his sentence.

His co-accused Iqbal, who had other charges as well, was given a year's reformative training last week.

For theft with common intention, they could have been jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.