A Singaporean teenager, addicted to gambling, risked his life by climbing from his 12th-floor home's kitchen window to his 13th-floor neighbor's unit to steal money for gambling. Over the course of six months, he did this at least five times, stealing a total of $900 (about 2,777 ringgit). On Monday morning, he was sentenced to 12 months of reformative training.
The 18-year-old youth, in order to raise funds for gambling, had, since May 2023, at least five times climbed out of his kitchen window on the 12th floor in the early morning hours, scaled the exterior wall to the 13th-floor unit, and took the opportunity to sneak in and steal nearly $900 in total.
Since the accused was only 16 years old at the time of the crimes, the media is not permitted to publish his name or the location of the incident.
In addition to theft, the accused was also involved in an intentional assault case. In a football match in October 2023, he and his friends beat up a 15-year-old boy, causing a depressed fracture and deviation of the nasal septum on the right side of the victim's nose.
The prosecution previously pointed out that the accused committed multiple serious offenses in a short period of time and believed that a sentence of reformative training at a juvenile reformative centre was most appropriate. The defense lawyer pleaded for leniency, urging the court to consider probation and close monitoring, giving the accused a chance to turn over a new leaf.
An assessment report indicated that the accused was not suitable for probation. The prosecution therefore insisted that he be sentenced to a juvenile reformative centre. Ultimately, the court sentenced the accused to 12 months of reformative training.
Earlier, reporters visited the scene of the incident. The female owner of the 13th-floor unit, who declined to be named, recalled that at first the whole family thought the burglar had broken in through the main door. Later, they were shocked to realize the culprit had entered through the kitchen window.
"Our family quickly installed surveillance cameras and replaced all the locks."
She revealed that her daughter, who is in her twenties, was traumatized by the incident, was unable to sleep alone for five months, and even felt anxious about going to the bathroom alone at night.
"Now, even the windows we never used to lock are kept locked—anything for added security. If we had known earlier it was the neighbor's son, we definitely would have confronted them."
However, she also said that since the incident has already happened, she would not blame the young offender, and only hopes that he can learn from this and turn over a new leaf.