A recalcitrant offender, who had earlier been sentenced to reformative training, absconded from his day-release scheme and returned to a life of crime about a week later.
Instead of lying low while on the run, Saatish Gautham, then 19, teamed up with two other youths last year and tried to break into two Little India jewellery stores by using an oxy-acetylene blowtorch that can be used to cut through metals.
Saatish, now 20, pleaded guilty in court yesterday to two counts of attempted housebreaking. His two accomplices, Mohammad Faris Mohammad Fadzir, 17, and Jamal Razeen Abdul Ghani, 19, admitted to their offences last year.
They were both sentenced to reformative training - Jamal in May and Faris in August - where they have to follow a strict regimen that includes foot drills and counselling.
Yesterday, Saatish also admitted to an unrelated rioting charge.
The court heard that in 2013 and 2014, he was placed on probation for offences including being a member of an unlawful assembly and causing mischief by fire. He re-offended while on probation and was sentenced to reformative training in 2015 after committing theft.
In November 2017, he was placed under supervision at the Lloyd Leas Community Supervision Centre near Upper Changi Road North but failed to report to his reintegration officer on March 5 last year.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Dwayne Lum said some time early that month, Jamal suggested to Saatish to break into jewellery shops and steal their valuables.
Jamal roped in Faris on March 9 last year. Jamal ordered the blowtorch and had it delivered to Saatish's home in Boon Lay.
Around 2am on March 11, the three youths went to Little India. Jamal and Faris acted as lookouts, while Saatish went to the rear door of Merlin Goldsmith and Jewellery in Serangoon Road.
Saatish used the blowtorch to cut the hinges. But the group fled to Jamal's Jelapang Road flat in Bukit Panjang after Faris spotted a man observing Saatish.
The trio returned to Little India later that morning. Saatish and Faris went to the front entrance of the Jewel Palace in Buffalo Road. Court documents did not reveal Jamal's location at the time.
The DPP said Saatish used the blowtorch to dismantle the store's roller shutters, while Faris used a hammer to smash a lock. But when the anti-theft alarm went off, the pair fled the scene empty-handed before meeting up with Jamal.
The case has been adjourned to July 3.
