Man jailed, fined for stealing 6 deity statues, prayer items from Geylang temple during circuit breaker
By LOUISA TANG
Published Mar 10, 2021
Updated Mar 10, 2021
4 hrs ago
Then, after sending his friend home in Geylang, Rudra Cavill Pubalasingam broke into a nearby temple, stealing six statues of deities worth about S$4,600 and some prayer accessories, including a miniature coffin.
For his offences, the 38-year-old Singaporean was sentenced on Wednesday (March 10) to one year and two months’ jail and a fine of S$2,000. He has to serve 10 more days behind bars if he cannot pay the fine.
He pleaded guilty to one charge each of housebreaking to commit theft and leaving his home without a reasonable excuse.
The court heard that he was in the Geylang area on the evening of April 26 last year and happened to meet a friend identified only as Elaine. The pair chatted and later went to his girlfriend’s flat.
At about 3am the next day, Rudra and Elaine left in a private-hire car and alighted near Geylang Lorong 21. She had asked him to accompany her home because it was late.
After they parted ways, he used a toilet nearby.
He then noticed some statues of deities on an altar inside the Le Regal mixed development building at Block 340 Geylang Road. Court documents stated that the building was being used as a place of worship — that is, a temple.
Deciding to steal the statues, Rudra forcefully pushed the main door open and dislodged the latch holding it shut. He then took the items, placed them into black trash bags he had found there, and left.
He took a taxi back to his girlfriend’s flat, repacked the items into other bags and hid them under a tree along a nearby canal.
Later that afternoon, one of the temple's workers called the police saying: “The showroom temple got broken into… We just discovered this had happened.”
Around 6.30pm, Rudra returned to Geylang Lorong 21 for work purposes. When another friend told him that the police were looking for him, he replied to tell the police his location.
Officers soon arrived and arrested him. He then led them to where he had hidden the items.
The temple eventually replaced the stolen statues for religious reasons.
WANTED TO SET UP AN ALTAR
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Daryl Pang revealed that Rudra had a history of theft offences.
Most recently, he was jailed 20 years and given 12 strokes of the cane in 2006 after being convicted of robbery with hurt and other offences. He was released from prison in August 2018 and committed these latest offences during his remission period.
DPP Pang said: “Such egregious record of offending would typically make the accused eligible for either corrective training or preventive detention. Nevertheless, the prosecution recognises that the breach is not that severe and will be asking for a term of imprisonment for reasons of proportionality.”
In mitigation, Rudra’s lawyer Favian Kang from law firm Peter Low & Choo told the court that his client had chanced upon the statues known as “Tua Ji Ya Pek” — a pair of guardian deities that worshippers believe will help them through difficult times and bring wealth.
While Rudra was a Hindu, he also believed in Taoism and worshipped the deities. He then thought of setting up a prayer altar near his girlfriend’s flat so that he and others could worship, Mr Kang added.
The lawyer also said that Rudra had fully cooperated with the police.
For housebreaking in order to commit theft, he could have been jailed up to 10 years and fined.
For leaving his home without a reasonable excuse, he could have been jailed up six months or fined up to S$10,000, or both.
By LOUISA TANG
Published Mar 10, 2021
Updated Mar 10, 2021
4 hrs ago
- Rudra Cavill Pubalasingam first met a friend and took her to his girlfriend’s home during the circuit breaker period
- After sending his friend home at Geylang, he noticed the statues in a nearby temple
- He broke in and stole them, along with some prayer accessories, purportedly to set up an altar of his own
Then, after sending his friend home in Geylang, Rudra Cavill Pubalasingam broke into a nearby temple, stealing six statues of deities worth about S$4,600 and some prayer accessories, including a miniature coffin.
For his offences, the 38-year-old Singaporean was sentenced on Wednesday (March 10) to one year and two months’ jail and a fine of S$2,000. He has to serve 10 more days behind bars if he cannot pay the fine.
He pleaded guilty to one charge each of housebreaking to commit theft and leaving his home without a reasonable excuse.
The court heard that he was in the Geylang area on the evening of April 26 last year and happened to meet a friend identified only as Elaine. The pair chatted and later went to his girlfriend’s flat.
At about 3am the next day, Rudra and Elaine left in a private-hire car and alighted near Geylang Lorong 21. She had asked him to accompany her home because it was late.
After they parted ways, he used a toilet nearby.
He then noticed some statues of deities on an altar inside the Le Regal mixed development building at Block 340 Geylang Road. Court documents stated that the building was being used as a place of worship — that is, a temple.
Deciding to steal the statues, Rudra forcefully pushed the main door open and dislodged the latch holding it shut. He then took the items, placed them into black trash bags he had found there, and left.
He took a taxi back to his girlfriend’s flat, repacked the items into other bags and hid them under a tree along a nearby canal.
Later that afternoon, one of the temple's workers called the police saying: “The showroom temple got broken into… We just discovered this had happened.”
Around 6.30pm, Rudra returned to Geylang Lorong 21 for work purposes. When another friend told him that the police were looking for him, he replied to tell the police his location.
Officers soon arrived and arrested him. He then led them to where he had hidden the items.
The temple eventually replaced the stolen statues for religious reasons.
WANTED TO SET UP AN ALTAR
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Daryl Pang revealed that Rudra had a history of theft offences.
Most recently, he was jailed 20 years and given 12 strokes of the cane in 2006 after being convicted of robbery with hurt and other offences. He was released from prison in August 2018 and committed these latest offences during his remission period.
DPP Pang said: “Such egregious record of offending would typically make the accused eligible for either corrective training or preventive detention. Nevertheless, the prosecution recognises that the breach is not that severe and will be asking for a term of imprisonment for reasons of proportionality.”
In mitigation, Rudra’s lawyer Favian Kang from law firm Peter Low & Choo told the court that his client had chanced upon the statues known as “Tua Ji Ya Pek” — a pair of guardian deities that worshippers believe will help them through difficult times and bring wealth.
While Rudra was a Hindu, he also believed in Taoism and worshipped the deities. He then thought of setting up a prayer altar near his girlfriend’s flat so that he and others could worship, Mr Kang added.
The lawyer also said that Rudra had fully cooperated with the police.
For housebreaking in order to commit theft, he could have been jailed up to 10 years and fined.
For leaving his home without a reasonable excuse, he could have been jailed up six months or fined up to S$10,000, or both.
