The Magistrate’s Court on Saturday sentenced a 31-year-old local man to eight months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to theft involving two shipping containers.
Magistrate Nur Eleana binti Dato Seri Paduka Haji Hairol Arni heard from Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Nurul Atikah Husaini that Ameruddin bin Sabli committed the theft with an accomplice, between July and August. The containers were stolen from Kampong Tagap, Selayun.
On October 14, the victimised owner reported to Sengkurong Police Station that his 40-foot and 20-foot steel containers, which were used to store construction materials, had gone missing.
He first noticed their absence on October 13, and a neighbour later informed him that some individuals had loaded the containers onto a trailer. However, due to poor weather conditions, the witness was unable to record the trailer’s details.
The following day, the owner contacted a trailer rental company, which confirmed a recent rental transaction for the containers. Police investigations led to the arrest of Ameruddin.
It was revealed in court that his accomplice had initially suggested to Ameruddin that they sell the containers after noticing them by the roadside.
The defendant posted the containers for sale on Facebook, pricing the 40-foot container at BND700 and the 20-foot container at BND400. A buyer soon contacted Ameruddin and agreed to purchase both containers for BND1,100. The defendant handed over the proceeds of the sale to his accomplice.
Both containers, valued at BND10,000, were recovered, and Ameruddin admitted to the offence during police investigations. The court also noted that he had previous criminal convictions. – Fadley Faisal
