H
Han Solo
Guest
Jan 12, 2011
Jailed 7 years for stealing 18 generators
By Khushwant Singh
A district court had heard that Nanthakumaran has been in trouble with the law on four occasions since 1997 for theft and disposing of stolen property. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
A MAN would hire a lorry with a crane on the pretext of transporting heavy machinery from a worksite. Unknown to the lorry driver, Nanthakumaran Lokanathan was not a worker at that site but was on a stealing spree.
By the time. the 34-year-old Singaporean was found out, he had stolen more than $240,000 worth of generators. He was sentenced to seven years corrective training on Wednesday.
A district court had heard that Nanthakumaran has been in trouble with the law on four occasions since 1997 for theft and disposing of stolen property.
He was also found suitable for corrective training, which can last from five to 14 years, is meant for recalcitrant offenders, with no remission for good behaviour.
The general worker was caught on July 11 last year after driving off with metal sheets worth $12,000 from a construction site in Jurong East.
Two workers at the construction site had stopped the lorry and Nanthakumaran spun a story that he was moving the metal sheets to another construction site in Tampines on the instructions of a 'Mr Choo'.
The two workers played it safe by taking pictures of the lorry before allowing it to leave. When the theft was discovered some hours later, police had no problem finding the lorry at Old Tampines Road.
Investigations then revealed that Nanthakumaran stole 18 generators between Oct 2009 and July last year.
His busiest period was between April 2 till July 1, when he filched 15 generators from worksites in Yio Chu Kang, Jurong, Ang Mo Kio, Tampines and Mandai.
The court documents indicate that the offences were committed on holidays or either very early in the morning or late in the evening of workdays.
[email protected]
