Convicted: Man who stole lorry batteries

[San Zang]

Dec 8, 2010

Convicted: Man who stole lorry batteries

By Khushwant Singh

FROM January to July, 2010, Azman Mohd Noor, 46, would drive to car parks for heavy vehicles all over the island, snooping around for the batteries of lorries parked there.

After ensuring that the coast was clear, he would take out spanners from his toolbox and dismantle the battery compartment box of the lorry, which is often located at its undercarriage. Packing the two batteries of a lorry into the boot of his car, Azman would then drive off.

A district court heard that he stole 114 batteries in a seven-month period. On Wednesday, Azman pleaded guilty and was convicted on 15 charges of theft. Another 42 charges will be taken into consideration by District Judge Liew Thiam Leng when the court passes sentence on Azman on Dec 13.

He could be jailed up to seven years and fined up to $10,000 on each offence. He could also be disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for a term deemed fit by the court. The batteries were worth a total of $19,000, or more than $160 per battery, and Azman would sell each for about $30 to second-hand dealers.

According to court documents, his crime spree started on the night of Jan 23 when he stole two batteries of a lorry parked at the heavy vehicles car park at West Coast Link. He then moved to other car parks in Jurong, Jalan Bahar, Marsiling, Bukit Batok, Woodlands, Sembawang and Yishun.

 

[Gyuki]

Battery thief sentenced to 3 years' jail


Battery thief sentenced to 3 years' jail
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 13 December 2010 1839 hrs
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SINGAPORE : A 46-year-old man who stole more than 100 lorry batteries worth some S$19,000 in all was sentenced on Monday to three years' jail.

Azman Mohd Noor has also been disqualified from operating all classes of vehicles for three years after his release.

He stole the batteries, which cost up to S$300 a piece, from places such as the Jalan Bahar and Bukit Batok heavy vehicle parks between January and July this year.

Armed with three different spanners, he would remove the batteries, place them in his car and drive away.

Azman, who pleaded guilty to 15 charges last Wednesday, admitted that he sold the batteries to a rag and bone man for about S$30 each.

The self-employed man originally had 57 theft charges against him, but 42 of them were taken into consideration.

The court heard that none of the stolen batteries were recovered.

Azman will be appealing against his sentence.

- CNA/al