After a 22-year-old Singaporean man was convicted of stealing an entire metal bus stop bench worth S$1500, many unhappy citizens took to Facebook to gripe about why benches cost that much, and that taxpayers’ money had been wasted.
The man, Tan Ke Wei pleaded guilty to one count of mischief for stealing the bench for his home’s interior design.
A Facebook post was shared yesterday, and netizens joked about why Tan would want a bus-stop bench for his home when he could “buy comfortable sofas already” with that money.
<Reader Contribution by Louis>They sure $1500 is lowest quote? This money can buy comfortable sofas already!
Posted by All Singapore Stuff on Wednesday, 10 October 2018
While waiting for a bus at around 11.50pm, Tan unscrewed the bench’s eight metal bolts with his bare hands.
After that, he covered the bench in a trash bag and took a taxi back home.
Back at his block, Tan hid the bagged bench inside a riser unit on the ninth floor.
An eyewitness saw him, and tipped off the police, who tracked Tan down and arrested him.
Tan was sentenced to seven days’ Short Detention Order (SDO), which means that he will not have a criminal record after his sentence.
Many netizens also made light of the entire incident.
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obbana@theindependent.sg