Deliveryman jailed 30 days for stealing produce
Needing to pay off some loans, the Malaysian deliveryman sneaked into cold rooms at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre to steal produce on two occasions this year.
Making off with five cartons of taro yams and four cartons of coriander, Ishwaran Suppiah, 25, sold them off at the fruit, vegetable and dried goods wholesale centre.
He was nabbed after his second theft was caught on closed-circuit television cameras and a store manager at a wholesaler called the police.
On two counts of theft in dwelling, Suppiah was last Thursday sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Prosecution officer Jeanice Lim told District Judge Adam Nakhoda the offences were premeditated and Suppiah admitted he committed them out of greed.
Although he regularly delivered goods to Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre, Suppiah had gone into the cold rooms with the intention of stealing items, not for delivery, she added.
Suppiah first stole the five cartons of taro yams, worth $160 in total, on Aug 21. A worker found them missing at about 8pm. Suppiah was able to enter the cold room as it was unlocked, the court heard.
On Oct 22, at about 2.25am, he entered an unlocked cold room and stole four cartons of coriander, worth $400 in total. A store manager discovered the theft at about 11.15am.
Suppiah was arrested the same day after officers from Clementi Police Division identified him with the aid of police camera images.
Speaking through a translator, Suppiah pleaded for leniency and said he was the sole breadwinner for his family. - KOK YU FENG
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