Man jailed for threatening cabby, damaging taxi, stealing credit cards, cheating retailers
To say that he is a serial troublemaker would be putting it mildly.
Koh Yong Kwee has found himself on the wrong side of the law multiple times since his teenage years.
On Monday, the 41-year-old man was jailed for two months for criminally intimidating a 35-year-old cabby in 2013.
This is on top of the 27 months he has to serve for cheating offences he committed last year with stolen credit cards while out on bail.
2013: Threatened cabby, damaged taxi
Koh, who is now jobless, was a lorry driver when he committed the 2013 offence, reported The Straits Times.
The cabby, Mr Norashid Mohamad Nor, had stopped his taxi behind Koh's lorry after being hailed by a woman in the wee hours of Oct 23.
The woman got in the cab, but before she could close the door, Koh appeared and pulled her out of the vehicle by her hair.
Koh grew angry at the cabby when he wound down the window to ask why he was scuffling with the passenger.
He retrieved a metre-long rod from his lorry and walked towards the cab.
Fearing for his safety, Mr Norashid wound up the window. Koh repeatedly hit the taxi with the rod, causing $300 in damage.
While out on bail for the incident, Koh committed another crime.
2014: Stole credit cards, cheated retailers
On Sept 27 last year, he opened his flat’s letter box and found a credit card in an envelope addressed to his mother's tenant, who was overseas at the time.
Koh later entered the 48-year-old tenant’s room and stole some valuables and a second credit card.
He used the first card to buy various items, including an iPhone.
He was caught after a transaction failed because he had exceeded the card’s limit, and a sales assistant called the police.
While out on police bail, he activated the second card and continued to cheat retailers.
Koh pleaded guilty to seven charges for cheating, criminal intimidation and theft. Another 11, including those for damaging the taxi and attempted cheating, were taken into consideration. No restitution has been made for the losses of more than $7,000.
Koh has a long list of previous convictions dating back to 1989, the majority of which were for drug-related offences.
Source: The Straits Times
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