SINGAPORE - A teenager became the fourth to be given probation on Thursday for his role in the Toa Payoh rooftop graffiti case.
Goh Rong Liang, 18, a cashier, had admitted to vandalising the rooftop of Block 85A, Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, stealing four cans of spray paint, trespassing into the HDB block as well as Marina Bay Suites.
He committed the offences with Boaz Koh Wen Jie, Reagan Tan Chang Zhi, David William Graaskov and Chay Nam Shen, all 18, in March and May last year.
All, except Koh, have been placed on probation. Koh's case will come up for mention again in May.
The five friends, who adopted the name Mikecool for their group, stole the $12 worth of spray paint from a parked lorry at Lorong 5, at about 11.45pm on May 6. Shortly before midnight, Goh, Koh, Tan and Chay went to the rooftop of Block 85A to spray the walls.
Although Graaskov had agreed to take part, he left the group to catch the last bus home.
The court heard that the four managed to trespass into the secured rooftop by climbing through a gap between the walls.
They waited for about 10 minutes for the lights in the opposite unit to go off before they started spraying the walls with expletives directed at the People's Action Party.
Investigations also showed that Goh and his friends committed criminal trespass at the Marina Bay Suites condominium at Marina Boulevard on March 29 last year.
On Thursday, Goh was placed on 21 months' probation. He has to remain indoors from 10pm to 6am and perform 160 hours of community service. His mother and sister signed a bond of $8,000 to ensure his good behaviour.
The maximum penalty for vandalism is a $2,000 fine or three years' jail plus up to eight strokes of the cane.
