Cab thief jailed

Cab thief jailed
By Elena Chong

A FORMER relief driver who stole a taxi was jailed for a year and banned from driving for 18 months on Thursday.

Ang Siam Hua, 52, pleaded guilty to stealing a $65,000 Comfort Hyundai Sonata taxi from Mr Saiman Ismail at a caprk in Yishun Ring Road on Aug 31 last year.

Both had known each other for more than 10 years and were living in the same block.

Ang had been a relief driver for Mr Saiman, 56, for a few months until he gave up because of a dispute with the victim.

When Mr Saiman missed his taxi on the morning of Aug 31, he called the police.

Ang was arrested while driving the victim's taxi along New Tiew Crescent the next day. He had admitted that he had used a duplicate set of keys to drive off the vehicle as he was angry with the victim.

He told District Judge Jasbendar Kaur that he was under stress as his wife was divorcing him, and his girlfriend had run away.

He could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined for theft.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_329349.html