A trio comprising a current employee and two former workers of a pet store received jail sentences and whipping after pleading guilty to theft charges.
The sentencing was handed down by Intermediate Court Judge Pengiran Hajah Norismayanti binti Pengiran Haji Ismail.
Indonesian national Andika Febrian, 30, received a three-year-and-four-months jail sentence along with two whippings.
Local resident Muhammad Ibrahim bin Abdullah, 25, was also given a three-year-and-four months jail sentence with two whippings.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Indonesian Kevin was sentenced to one year in jail.
The court heard how the defendants executed their meticulously planned criminal scheme, leading to their apprehension.
Andika had previously been employed as a driver of the pet company for a year, while Muhammad Ibrahim worked at the same establishment from 2019 to 2020.
Kevin, at the time of the offences, worked as a labourer for the same company and was responsible for stock examination and warehouse maintenance.
The theft operation began when Kevin informed Andika about the scheduled delivery of pet food to the warehouse on August 2.
Andika suggested stealing the incoming stocks, to which Kevin agreed.
The following day, Kevin confirmed the arrival of the stocks and sent photos to Andika.
Under the cover of darkness on August 4, Andika and Kevin executed their plan, with Kevin acting as a lookout.
Andika stole 10 boxes, each containing 30 packets of two-kilogramme pet food, and messaged Kevin about the stolen goods.
They sold the stolen items on social media and divided the proceeds.
The operation continued with Andika recruiting Muhammad Ibrahim to help.
Muhammad Ibrahim engaged the warehouse watchman in conversation while Andika accessed the warehouse through a toilet window.
They stole seven sacks of 10-kilogramme pet food and 24 boxes of wet pet food, totaling 576 pouches.
Muhammad Ibrahim sold the stolen items online, earning BND650.
Despite an initial agreement to split the proceeds evenly, Muhammad Ibrahim passed only BND200 to Andika.
The thefts went unnoticed until August 6 when a shortage of pet food supplies at branches raised suspicions. A supervisor reviewed the CCTV footage, leading to the discovery of the trio’s crimes.
Police investigations revealed that Andika and Muhammad Ibrahim had stolen from the warehouse on seven other occasions.
The trio’s criminal activities were uncovered due to surveillance, leading to their apprehension and subsequent sentencing by the court. – Fadley Faisal
