SINGAPORE: Despite being arrested numerous times for offences including shoptheft and attempted housebreaking, a man continued to break the law.
On Wednesday (Oct 21), Muhammad Syairul Hisham Hashim, 37, was sentenced to two years and eight months’ jail.
He pleaded guilty to one count each of consuming methamphetamine, possessing diamorphine and attempting to commit housebreaking, as well as three counts of theft.
A total of 33 other charges, which were for offences committed over a period of one year and four months, were taken into consideration for his sentencing.
Court documents show that around October 2024, Syairul’s friend Ahmad Irshad Hamid purchased drugs from an unknown seller at an Owen Road HDB flat.
About a week later, Ahmad decided to break into the seller’s flat to commit theft. He told Syairul of his plan to deceive a locksmith into breaking the lock. Syairul agreed to accompany him.
Outside the flat on Oct 7, 2024, Ahmad lied to the locksmith that the unit belonged to his uncle, before showing him a forged IC to back up the lie.
The locksmith agreed to open the lock for the men, but their actions were caught on a CCTV camera that the seller had placed on his gate.
The seller’s wife immediately made a police report after receiving a notification on her mobile phone and seeing the men outside the gate.
Officers arrived just as the locksmith was opening the padlock and arrested both Syairul and Ahmad.
Court documents show Ahmad was handed a one-year jail term on March 18 for attempted housebreaking.
Syairul was brought to the Central Narcotics Bureau after his arrest. Urine samples he provided tested positive for methamphetamine.
He admitted that he had consumed methamphetamine that day, saying he had taken the drug up to three times a week for a period of up to three months.
Syairul was remanded for investigations until Oct 16, 2024, before being released on bail.
On Sept 17, 2025, Syairul was in the vicinity of Block 322 Yishun Central when he spotted a black personal mobility aid (PMA) left unattended at the void deck and stole it.
A day later, the owner spotted someone selling his PMA on Carousell. During a meeting with the seller – who turned out to be Syairul – the owner took a picture of him and passed the information to the police.
The PMA was not recovered and no restitution has been made.
On Sept 22, 2025, Syairul was in the vicinity of Block 150 Yishun Street 11 when he spotted a personal mobility device (PMD) secured at the bicycle bay.
He removed the bicycle lock securing the PMD and stole the device. His actions were captured on a police camera at the bicycle bay.
When questioned by the police, Syairul admitted he had stolen the PMD and sold it on Carousell. No restitution has been made.
On Oct 4, 2025, Syairul spotted a PMA parked unsecured at the bicycle bay of Block 673A Yishun Avenue 4.
He stole the PMA but his actions were again captured by a police camera at the void deck.
Syairul was arrested on Oct 10, 2025 after a warrant of arrest was issued against him after he failed to turn up for a pre-trial conference at the District Court. The PMA was not recovered and no restitution has been made.
Upon his arrest, officers seized a packet of powdery substance from him, which was found to contain diamorphine. - The Straits Times/ANN
