Apr 22, 2010
Youth gets probation for theft
<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong
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<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> A 17-YEAR-OLD youth was sentenced to 18 months probation by a Community Court on Thursday for stealing $50,000 worth of rare tortoises from a museum in Jurong early last year. T. Kalaivaanan, a student, was the last of four to be dealt with for the theft with four others. All five stole five tortoises from the Live Turtle and Tortoises Museum at Chinese Gardens Road on Jan 31 last year.
The person who bought the Radiated and Indian star tortoises for $1,500 was given a stern warning. He had returned them to the owner two days later after reading a newspaper article about the theft. Two of the accomplices, Lim Kah Kheng, 26, and Mugunthan Ponusamy, 25, received jail sentences of 2-1/2 years and three years respectively. Another 17-year-old, Arun Kumar Manivanan, was placed on 18 months probation as well.
