BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

TWO men who pleaded guilty to stealing from a house in Kg Sg Kayu Ara were each sentenced to jail.

M S Maszulkarnain Md Saini, 34, was sentenced to serve 12 months in jail, while co-accused Md Ali Shuada Azari, 35, was ordered to serve 10 months in jail for his involvement in the theft.

The court document stated that the duo were arrested after a call was made to the 993 hotline over a suspicious car around Kg Sg Kayu Ara.

The police went to investigate and found both defendants near a car which had broken down. The defendants were subsequently arrested after further investigation into the car led to the discovery of stolen items.

It was revealed that before midnight on July 29, the duo went to a house in Kg Sungai Kayu Ara and gained entry though an unlocked door at the back after climbing over the fence. At the time, the house had no occupants.

Upon entering the house, the defendants had stolen items with an estimated value of $2,000, including television sets, bags, clothes and various home items.

However, while loading the stolen items into the car, the defendants left behind a 21-inch television and a bag containing clothes and shoes as they were unable to fit the goods into the Toyota Kijang.

They left the house and went to Md Ali Shuada’s house to unload the stolen goods. At around 4am, the defendants returned to the house in Kg Sg Kayu Ara to retrieve the remaining items that they had left near the house gates.

After retrieving the items, the Toyota Kijang broke down near the house. One of the complainant’s neighbours called the police after becoming suspicious.

Both defendants were ordered to serve the jail term from August 1, when they were first remanded.

The Brunei Times