Four technicians sentenced for stealing petrol from Police Coast Guard vessels

SINGAPORE – Four technicians originally tasked with maintaining Police Coast Guard (PCG) patrol vessels have been sentenced to jail and ordered to compensate for the petrol they stole from the crafts.

The individuals involved in the theft amounting to 100 litres of petrol valued at about S$183 (US$136) are Muhammad Khairullah Abdullah, 31, who was jailed for five weeks and ordered to pay S$101.65; Muhammad Shahzwan Hissam, 33, and Muhammad Rizuan Leman, 34, each jailed for four weeks and ordered to pay S$54.91 each; and Alden Teo Chee Kiat, 32, jailed for three weeks and ordered to pay S$45.76.

All four Singaporean men pleaded guilty to one count each of stealing the petrol with common intention, with all but Teo facing an additional charge considered during the sentencing process.

The court proceedings shed light on the modus operandi of the theft. The four men, employed as service technicians by Lungteh Shipbuilding, a company contracted by PCG, were stationed at PCG’s Lim Chu Kang Regional Base for maintenance work on patrol craft.

Their responsibilities included cleaning and servicing engines and generators, a task which involved the use of a manual pneumatic fluid extractor to extract dirty oil residue from the engines.

The prosecution emphasized that the petrol stored within the PCG craft belonged to the government and was not for personal use. However, during their maintenance work, the technicians discovered the presence of petrol and conspired to siphon it for their vehicles.

On 3 July last year, the men executed their plan, using the manual pneumatic fluid extractor to siphon approximately 40 liters of petrol, which they concealed in a jerry can and the extractor before hiding in the workshop. Subsequently, they distributed the stolen petrol among themselves, using it to refill their vehicles’ fuel tanks.

The theft did not end with the initial incident; the men repeated the crime on three subsequent occasions in July. The prosecutor highlighted past convictions of Shahzwan and Khairullah, citing the seriousness of theft, particularly when it involves public or government property.

He referenced a similar case involving the theft of PUB manhole covers, where the court emphasized the gravity of stealing public property due to the public interest involved.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Suriya Prakash underscored that the technicians abused the trust placed in them by PCG, breaching security protocols within the police base.

Despite the relatively low value of the stolen petrol, the breach of trust and theft of government property warranted legal action.

Under Singaporean law, theft with common intention carries penalties of up to three years imprisonment, fines, or both. Given the amalgamation of charges and the repetition of offences, the accused faced the possibility of double the punishment.