SINGAPORE — A man described by a judge as having a “very poor record” of property offending was on Tuesday (March 26) sentenced to jail for a string of theft offences, including stealing from Marina Bay Sands luxury brand shops.

The 45-year-old Singaporean, Muhammad Fazil Abd Rahman, was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment with an enhanced sentence of an additional 13 days’ jail, after pleading guilty to five counts of theft and theft in dwelling.

An enhanced sentence is meted out to those who reoffend while out on a remission order from a previous conviction.

Another nine charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

WHAT HAPPENED

The court heard that on Nov 16, 2022, Fazil stole a range of small electronic devices such as power banks and earpieces worth more than S$850 in total from a pasar malam, or night market stall, in Tampines.

He did this at about 11pm, after the stall was closed and the items were left unattended and just covered with canvas.

After realising that items were missing, the stall manager reviewed CCTV footage of the tent which captured Fazil’s actions and reported him to the police.

Fazil committed this offence while he was under a remission order after being released from prison.

About six months later in May 2023, Fazil saw an iPhone — valued at about S$1,600 — on the bench of a shoe shop at Victoria Street. As the owner of the phone was busy trying on shoes, Fazil took the phone and left the shop.

Then, while out on personal bond from the May 2023 offence, Fazil went on a stealing spree at Marina Bay Sands on the evening of June 3, 2023.

He went into the Giorgio Armani shop at about 8pm, took two pouches valued at about S$1,300 altogether, put them inside his bag and left the store without paying.

He went on to both the Gucci and Chanel stores where, in a similar manner, he stole a S$890 belt and a S$635 bottle of perfume respectively.

It was at a fourth store, the Armani Exchange shop, where Fazil was detained for stealing two pairs of spectacles and a small handbag. 

Court documents did not state how exactly he got caught or the value of the items.

Addressing Fazil in delivering his decision, District Judge Tan Jen Tse said: “You have a very poor record relating to property offences and have been convicted on many occasions for property offences before today.”

The judge noted that it was the ninth time Fazil had been brought to court for property-related offences, hence making a deterrent sentence necessary.

He noted further that Fazil was sentenced to four-and-a-half months' jail for one of the charges in his last conviction. 

Hence, given the sheer number of charges and the higher value of items this time round, a harsher sentence was in order, he said.

The judge sentenced him to jail for terms ranging from two months to six months per charge, with three of the sentences to run consecutively, making it a total of over 13 months.

After delivering his decision, District Judge Tan warned Fazil that corrective training — a harsher jail sentence typically for repeat offenders — could be imposed if he were to return to court and be convicted again.

For each theft conviction, he could have been jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.

For each count of theft in dwelling, Fazil could have been imprisoned for up to seven years and also be liable for a fine.