Two teenagers who vandalised the rooftop of a block of flats in Toa Payoh last year have been sentenced to two years’ probation.
Reagan Tan Chang Zhi and Chay Nam Shen, both 18, were each placed on 24 months’ probation by the State Courts today (March 2) for theft, vandalism and trespassing. They were also placed on a curfew from 10pm to 6am daily, and ordered to perform 180 hours of community service.
Both will be electronically tagged for six months, while each of their parents have been bonded for S$8,000.
Tan and Chay were among five teenagers involved in the incident. In January, David William Grasskov, 18, who helped steal the cans of paint used but did not take part in defacing the rooftop, was sentenced to 15 months’ probation.
The remaining two. Boaz Koh Wen Jie and Goh Rong Liang, both also 18, are waiting to be sentenced.
The five — good friends who called themselves “Mikecool” — had, on the evening of May 6, 2014, met at Block 85A Toa Payoh Lorong 4. Later that night, they spotted a parked lorry carrying cans of spray paint and decided to steal four cans. They then agreed to climb to the rooftop of Block 85A and spray graffiti on the walls.
At this time — about 11.50pm — Grasskov who had initially agreed to participate, decided to catch the last bus home. The others made their way without him to the rooftop, by squeezing through a gap in the wall, as the rooftop access door was locked.
After waiting for the lights in the flats facing the rooftop to go off, the four sprayed profanities insulting the People’s Action Party and the police, on the wall using red paint.
The next morning on May 7, the police received a call reporting the graffiti, which was splashed across a large flat wall panel on the top of the block unit. The total cost incurred for repainting the vandalised walls was S$128.84.
Further investigations revealed that the four had trespassed the same rooftop twice before, and Grasskov once.
The five had also trespassed onto the Marina Bay Suites condominium on Mar 29 last year, where they had gone to the rooftop to chat and smoke. In another incident in late 2013, the five had trespassed into a construction site, where they climbed onto a crane.
The maximum sentence for vandalism is up to three years’ imprisonment, or a fine up to S$2,000, or both. Offenders may also face between three to eight strokes of the cane. Those who trespass may face up to three months in jail, or with a fine of up to S$1,500 or both if convicted, while those convicted of theft may be jailed up to three years, fined, or both.
Source: www.todayonline.com
