A 17-year-old who grew fascinated with buses over the last year has pleaded guilty to stealing three of them and taking the vehicles on joyrides.
Muhammad Salahuddin Omar, who is deaf, gave his plea yesterday through a sign language interpreter, and asked for one last chance, signing that he hoped to continue his studies.
On March 8, he stole a 45-seater in Woodlands and drove it onto the Ayer Rajah Expressway before being arrested.
At the time, he was on police bail for taking two buses from carparks in Bukit Batok and Jurong Road on January 31.
Since the latest arrest, the youth has been in remand.
When community court judge Mathew Joseph asked why, Salahuddin’s father stood up in court to reveal that he refused to post bail to ensure that his son would not commit more offences.
The father admitted to feeling shame when the police turned up at his door, and said it was hard for him to control his son and felt it was best for the “law to take him” for what he did.
Investigations showed that Salahuddin’s father noticed his son developing a keen interest in public transportation over the last year, even attending transport exhibitions with his elder brother and playing bus-related computer games.
The two vehicles he stole in January within a space of less than five hours were worth a total of S$220,000 (US$167,896). He drove them despite being below 18 years old and without third-party insurance coverage.
At about 2pm on March 8, AZ Bus operations executive Toh Hoe Kok found his firm’s S$200,000 bus, which had been parked in Woodlands Industrial Park E8, missing.
He tracked the bus through his mobile phone which was linked to a Global Positioning System device on the vehicle.
The 56-year-old saw the vehicle going in circles along Ayer Rajah Expressway, Jurong Town Hall Road, Boon Lay Way and Jurong Pier Road.
He decided to go after the bus in his car, and managed to stop it near Bukit Batok Central.
The court heard that Salahuddin stole the Yutong model bus as it was automatic and easier to drive.
After finding the bus key, he started the engine and drove around for about 45 minutes before he was stopped.
Calling this case somewhat unusual, judge Joseph said the manner in which the youngster had committed the offences and the number of charges involved were of concern.
He postponed sentencing to June 4, pending probation and Reformative Training Center reports.
The maximum penalty for vehicle theft is seven years’ jail, a fine and disqualification.
For driving under 18, the penalty is a fine of up to S$1,000 or a jail term of up to three months; and for the insurance offence, a fine of up to S$1,000 and/or a jail term of up to three months plus 12 months’ driving ban.
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