Man jailed for stealing police station tap

While at the police station to bail his brother out, the man stole a tap from the toilet for his home.

Yesterday, Seah Kian Li, 50, was jailed three months for vandalism.

At about midnight on March 1, Seah was using the toilet on the third storey of Woodlands Police Division HQ when he noticed the basin tap was loose.

He found it suitable for his home toilet basin, and unscrewed it from the sink.

The tap was only discovered missing on March 28 by a cleaning supervisor doing her rounds.

CCTV

The divisional logistics officer was alerted, who checked the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the area and saw Seah unscrewing and taking away the tap, valued at about $170.

It is understood the CCTV camera was opposite the entrance of the male toilet, and its view was limited to two tap basins when the toilet door was open. No urinal can be seen from the footage.

It was not stated in court documents what offence Seah's brother had committed.

A police report was made, and Seah's home was raided on April 16 where the tap was found fixed to his toilet basin.

The tap was seized and he was arrested.

Yesterday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Foo Shi Hao told the court Seah had previous property, drug, housebreaking and driving offences dating back to 1996 up to 2008.

Seah, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency, saying he had to take care of his younger brother who was unemployed and had a mental condition.

But DPP Foo said there was nothing exceptional about Seah's circumstances.

For vandalism, he could have been jailed up to three years, or fined up to $2,000.

The penalty for vandalism also includes caning of between three and eight strokes, but Seah was spared this punishment as he is 50 years old.

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.