Jail, fine for male Foodpanda delivery rider who punched female Deliveroo rider over theft claim

SINGAPORE — Soon after two food delivery riders made small talk, one accused the other of stealing his work jacket and pants. When the woman denied this, he smashed her handphone and punched her head.

On Monday (Dec 5), Chia Kok Ann, 37, was sentenced to one week’s jail and fined S$3,000 after he pleaded guilty to one charge each of voluntarily causing hurt and mischief to Ms Oon Ling Ling, 42.

A third charge of harassment was taken into consideration for his sentencing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Gan Ee Kiat told the court that Chia launched his attack on the afternoon of Jan 17 last year when he was working for the food delivery platform Foodpanda.

Ms Oon, who was working for the rival company Deliveroo, was buying cigarettes from a 7-11 convenience store at Oasis Terrace in Punggol when she noticed Chia waiting for his deliveries and decided to make small talk with him.

After purchasing her cigarettes, Ms Oon returned to her bicycle which was parked at an exit of the Oasis Light Rail Transit (LRT) Station and was about to open her bicycle box, which contained her Deliveroo jacket, when Chia approached her.

Chia accused Ms Oon of stealing his work jacket and pants, which the woman denied.

This made the man angry, and in the ensuing argument, he grabbed the woman’s mobile phone, an iPhone 11 Pro Max — valued at around S$2,000, and threw it to the ground and damaged it beyond repair, said DPP Gan.

Chia then punched Ms Oon’s head and pushed her to the ground.

Chia left the scene only after witnesses intervened and separated them.

As a result of the unprovoked attack, Ms Oon was left with a hole in her eardrum.

Anyone found guilty of voluntarily causing hurt can be punished with up to two years in jail, or fined up to S$5,000, or both.

Anyone found guilty of committing mischief can be punished with up to two years in jail, or fined, or both.