Man jailed for stealing bus & taking friends on joyride
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 21 December 2011 1427 hrs
SINGAPORE: A jobless man stole a private bus and took his friends on a three-hour spin.
For that, 23-year-old Nasrul Hisyam Nezarwan was sentenced to 15 months' jail and fined S$1,000.
He has also been disqualified from driving for four years for the offence committed on 25 July.
Nasrul Hisyam Nezarwan, along with four others, aged between 13 and 17, saw a few buses at a carpark in Outram Road, near Holiday Inn Atrium, at about 4am.
He suggested stealing one of them, with the others assisting as lookouts.
He then broke into the 42-seater bus by pressing the emergency door cock, which is next to the front door of the bus.
About half an hour later, all five were on the road, with Nasrul Hisyam Nezarwan at the wheel.
The court heard that they rode from Outram Road, along Commonwealth Avenue, past Bukit Batok and towards Queenstown MRT station.
After nearly three hours, they abandoned the bus around Alexandra Road at 7am.
The bus has since been returned to its owner, who's the sole proprietor of a transport company.
Nasrul Hisyam Nezarwan said in his mitigation plea that he recognised that it was a mistake to steal the bus, but had "no intention of retaining it".
The court also heard that Nasrul Hisyam Nezarwan, who's the only son in his family, has a history of offences, including vehicle theft, driving without licence and receiving stolen property.
- CNA/ck
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.
