Newspaper supplier used stolen keys to break into Hougang flat
Published on Apr 25, 2013
A newspaper supplier, who used stolen keys to enter a Hougang flat on two occasions to steal $3,630 worth of cash and valuables, was jailed for three months on Thursday. Peter Koh Wai Peng, 45, pleaded guilty to committing theft and housebreaking. -- ST FILE PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN
By Khushwant Singh
A newspaper supplier, who used stolen keys to enter a Hougang flat on two occasions to steal $3,630 worth of cash and valuables, was jailed for three months on Thursday. Peter Koh Wai Peng, 45, pleaded guilty to committing theft and housebreaking. A charge of forging statements of accounts from UOB and POSB banks in an application for a housing loan was also taken in consideration by the judge in sentencing.
A district court heard that in 2001 Koh used to deliver newspapers to a shop run by Madam Tong Ah Lek. After she retired, Koh stayed in touch and also got to know her son, Mr Anthony Tok Keng Hiang.
On one of his regular visits to her Hougang flat in early July, he stole a bunch of house keys placed on the altar as he knew it included keys to her son's flat. He also stole $350 from a drawer in the bedroom of the 64-year-old retiree.
When Koh found out that no one would be in Madam Tong's son's flat on the evening of July 12, 2011, he took the opportunity to enter the flat and steal gold jewellery worth $2,730. He did not ransack the flat so that the theft would go undetected. Six days later, he struck again, stealing $900 in cash.
However the next day, Mr Tok, 38, discovered the jewellery missing and called the police. Koh has made full restitution.
