Two years’ probation for two teens involved in Toa Payoh vandalism case

SINGAPORE — Two teenagers who climbed atop a block of flats in Toa Payoh last year and sprayed a wall with graffiti have been sentenced to two years’ probation.

Reagan Tan Chang Zhi and Chay Nam Shen, both 18, were each placed on probation for 24 months by the State Courts yesterday 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 teenagers 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 awaiting sentencing. All five pleaded guilty to their respective charges.

The five — good friends who called themselves Mikecool — had, on the evening of May 6 last year, 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 about 11.50pm, Grasskov, who had initially agreed to participate, decided to catch the last bus home instead. The others made their way to the rooftop without him, squeezing through a gap in the wall to get around the locked rooftop access door.

After waiting for the lights in the flats facing the rooftop to go off, the four sprayed profanities on the wall using the stolen red paint, insulting the People’s Action Party and the police.

The next morning, the police received a call reporting the graffiti.

The total cost incurred for repainting the vandalised walls was S$128.84.

Further investigations revealed that Tan, Chay, Koh and Goh had trespassed onto the same rooftop twice before and Grasskov once.

The five also trespassed onto the Marina Bay Suites condominium on March 29 last year, where they had gone to the rooftop to chat and smoke.

In another incident in late 2013, the five trespassed onto a construction site and climbed onto a crane.

The maximum sentence for vandalism is up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$2,000 or both. Offenders may also face between three and eight strokes of the cane.

Those who trespass may face up to three months in jail, a fine of up to S$1,500 or both, if convicted, while those convicted of theft may be jailed for up to three years, fined or both.