SINGAPORE: A teenager went around stealing parcels from outside flats, sometimes trailing deliverymen to get his hands on the goods before trying to sell them or, on an occasion, gave one to a friend.
Hong Jiahan, a 19-year-old Singaporean, pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Jan 14) to six theft charges, with several other similar offences to be taken into consideration for sentencing.
The court heard that police cameras captured Hong arriving at a public housing block in Bishan on Mar 21 last year.
He had gone there intending to steal parcels belonging to residents, which had been left unattended outside their homes.
He took the lift to the top floor and walked down the floors, checking for parcels left outside the housing units.
He stole a parcel belonging to a 32-year-old woman and went to an unspecified floor where he hid the parcel inside a dry riser to avoid detection.
The victim discovered the theft and filed a police report the next day.
Hong returned two days later at 3am and collected the parcel. It contained a vacuum cleaner worth about S$140 that he later gifted to a friend.
On Mar 22 last year, Hong went to a housing block in Bishan to steal parcels again. The exact addresses were not disclosed in court documents.
He trailed a deliveryman and waited for him to deposit parcels before he settled on a package to steal.
He took it and similarly hid it inside a dry riser of an unspecified block before returning two days later to collect it.
It contained a Zouya keyboard worth S$300 and Hong listed it on e-marketplace Carousell for sale at S$88. He began using it instead when there were no interested buyers.
The victim similarly made a police report.
Using the same modus operandi, Hong stole parcels containing other items such as cosmetics, shoes and Garmin smartwatches.
The police identified Hong and arrested him on Apr 13, 2025. They recovered several items including the used keyboard, smartwatches and empty parcels.
The court called for a probation suitability report and adjourned sentencing to March.
For theft, he could be jailed for up to three years or fined, or both.
Continue reading...
Hong Jiahan, a 19-year-old Singaporean, pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Jan 14) to six theft charges, with several other similar offences to be taken into consideration for sentencing.
The court heard that police cameras captured Hong arriving at a public housing block in Bishan on Mar 21 last year.
He had gone there intending to steal parcels belonging to residents, which had been left unattended outside their homes.
He took the lift to the top floor and walked down the floors, checking for parcels left outside the housing units.
He stole a parcel belonging to a 32-year-old woman and went to an unspecified floor where he hid the parcel inside a dry riser to avoid detection.
The victim discovered the theft and filed a police report the next day.
Hong returned two days later at 3am and collected the parcel. It contained a vacuum cleaner worth about S$140 that he later gifted to a friend.
On Mar 22 last year, Hong went to a housing block in Bishan to steal parcels again. The exact addresses were not disclosed in court documents.
He trailed a deliveryman and waited for him to deposit parcels before he settled on a package to steal.
He took it and similarly hid it inside a dry riser of an unspecified block before returning two days later to collect it.
It contained a Zouya keyboard worth S$300 and Hong listed it on e-marketplace Carousell for sale at S$88. He began using it instead when there were no interested buyers.
The victim similarly made a police report.
Using the same modus operandi, Hong stole parcels containing other items such as cosmetics, shoes and Garmin smartwatches.
The police identified Hong and arrested him on Apr 13, 2025. They recovered several items including the used keyboard, smartwatches and empty parcels.
The court called for a probation suitability report and adjourned sentencing to March.
For theft, he could be jailed for up to three years or fined, or both.
Continue reading...