Food delivery rider Lin Jiaqin, 26 was caught on surveillance camera picking up the two statues from the altar located in the car park of 38 Woodlands Industrial Park E1 on Sept 21, 2019.
It was reported that the building’s manager purchased the statues for S$1,888. Two days after the theft, the manager was informed that the statues had disappeared.
Upon investigating camera footage, a man dressed in a pink food delivery uniform was caught taking the statues and placing them in his food delivery bag before leaving the scene on his bicycle.
Chinese language newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported the incident, which went viral online. The man eventually saw the video on a food delivery rider group and turned himself in on Sept 25. He also returned the statues that day.
He admitted taking the statues because they looked “very pretty.” He told Shin Min Daily News that there was a “misunderstanding” because he thought no one was worshipping the “black and dirty” statues, so he took them home.
“I know very well that statues of deities cannot be taken away at will, so I used the moon blocks to seek and obtain the consent of the gods to let me take them home. If I didn’t do that, how would I be safe and sound right now?” he said.
Moon blocks are wooden divination tools from China, used in pairs and thrown to seek divine guidance on yes or no questions.
Burning of Woman’s Hand
Lin was also accused of using a lighter to burn his friend’s hand on Mar 20, 2020.
It was reported that Lin got into an argument with his girlfriend while they were at his friend’s house at Teck Whye Lane.
His girlfriend accused his friend of having feelings for him. She grabbed the woman’s hand and told Lin to burn it with a lighter.
Lin followed, and the duo warned the woman not to inform the authorities. However, she went to a polyclinic a few days later as the pain didn’t subside.
Lin’s lawyer noted that he has a low IQ falling within the 50 to 80 range, and was merely obeying the orders of his girlfriend.
Lin faced four charges of theft, dishonest misappropriation of property and voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon. He pleaded guilty to two charges on Jul 13 while the other charges were taken into consideration.
He was sentenced to four months imprisonment and fined S$2,500 for stealing two statues of deities from a Woodlands car park and burning his friend’s hand with a lighter. /TISG
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