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Jun 9, 2011
Serial burglar gets 7 years and 24 strokes
By Elena Chong
An unemployed man who went on a crime spree for nearly two years and got away with more than $600,000 worth of items was sentenced to seven years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane on Thursday. -- PHOTO: ZAOBAO
AN UNEMPLOYED man who went on a crime spree for nearly two years and got away with more than $600,000 worth of items was sentenced to seven years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane on Thursday.
Mark Tan Kok Leng, 29, admitted to 13 counts of housebreaking and theft, theft, robbery with hurt, knife possession, aggravated molestation and drug consumption.
The court heard that he would loiter around HDB heartlands looking for units which had been left unsecured.
Among the places he struck were Havelock Road, Bukit Batok, Pasir Ris and Bukit Merah View.
He also targeted jewellery shops at Tiong Bahru Plaza, Jurong Point and People's Park Complex, stealing items worth $16,078 to $475,473.
In one of the burglaries last Sept 22, he climbed onto the bed of the 22-year-old victim, sat on her and ordered her at knifepoint not to shout.
He unzipped his Bermuda shorts and forcefully pushed her face towards his crotch while trying to pull up her dress.
He fled when the victim shouted and to her flatmates also raised the alarm.
He was arrested four days later at Bukit Gombak MRT Station in an ambush.
Twenty-eight other charges were taken into consideration during his sentencing.
