Man gets 14 months' jail, driving ban for stealing SUV
By Claire Huang | Posted: 05 March 2013 1952 hrs
SINGAPORE: A Malaysian man has been sentenced to 14 months' jail and banned from driving for 18 months for stealing an SUV and driving it to Ipoh, Malaysia. He was convicted of stealing the vehicle, worth S$76,000.
The man, Phillip Lim Chee Shong, said he was upset after a tiff with his wife on January 10, 2012. Later that day, Lim sent a friend home and noticed the SUV parked at the basement carpark of a condominium.
He saw the keys in the driver's armrest and decided to drive it to Malaysia. Lim drove for about six-hours to his house in Ipoh. On his way there, he threw away two child car seats and documents that were in the vehicle.
Lim continued to drive the SUV until he met with an accident in February. He then sent it for repair at a car workshop in Ipoh.
Lim then returned to Singapore to retrieve his own car, which was parked at the same condominium.
District Judge Eddy Tham said this was more than a joy ride. He also dismissed Lim's argument with his wife as a defence, and said that the accused did not learn from his previous offence, which was also theft.
While the judge noted that it was a spur of the moment act and not premeditated, he dismissed the mitigation that Lim committed his offence as he had an argument with his wife prior to the incident.
Lim could have been jailed a maximum of seven years and fined.
-CNA/ac
