A 33-year-old local man was sentenced to 44 months’ jail term after he pleaded guilty to multiple thefts and related offences yesterday.
According to the prosecutor Mohd Zamri bin Abdul Samad, faced several charges, including stealing vehicles and being in possession of stolen property.
The court heard that on August 1, between 8.45am and 6pm, Mohd Zamri stole a vehicle from a residence in Kampong Sengkurong.
A family member of the vehicle owner discovered the car missing upon his return from work.
Along with the car, a toolbox containing various tools was also stolen.
Mohd Zamri admitted to taking the car after noticing it while walking by the house. He altered the vehicle’s licence plate by hand-painting the number.
Mohd Zamri later abandoned the vehicle.
CCTV footage from a convenience store captured him with the stolen car on the day of the theft.
In a separate incident, on August 8, Mohd Zamri stole a car, valued at BND12,000 from a parking lot in Kampong Sengkurong.
CCTV footage showed Mohd Zamri cycling towards the scene before driving off with the vehicle.
The stolen car was later found abandoned in the Tutong District with various parts missing, including the car battery, radio and a toolbox.
Mohd Zamri also faced charges of receiving stolen property. On August 10, he purchased a welding machine and a jack hammer for BND80, with full knowledge that they were stolen goods.
The court took into account Mohd Zamri’s criminal history, dating back to 2007, with his most recent offence in 2022.
Magistrate Qamarul Affyian noted the aggravating factors, including Mohd Zamri’s deliberate attempts to avoid detection and the inconvenience caused to the victims.
Mohd Zamri showed no remorse, and the court emphasised the need for a deterrent sentence to prevent similar offences. The court also ordered for the stolen items returned to their rightful owners. – Fadley Faisal
