Jailed: Man, 47, who stole $5 from 11-year-old boy, took McChicken burgers from pedestrian
A 47-year-old man who committed a slew of crimes over the span of one year – including theft, using vulgarities on police officers and causing annoyance while drunk – was on Wednesday (12 December) jailed for 14 months and three weeks.
Shanker Channa Tambi pleaded guilty to six out of 12 charges – one each of theft, drug consumption, drug possession, use of criminal force on a public servant, and two counts of using abusive language on a police officer. The remaining counts were taken into consideration for his sentencing.
Used vulgarity on police officer
On 3 October last year, Shanker grabbed the forearm of a woman and tried to kiss her outside Fresenius Medical Care Toa Payoh Dialysis Clinic. He was drunk at the time.
Police were called to the clinic and while officers were recording Shanker’s particulars, he used an abusive word on a police sergeant.
When the officer warned Shanker, he repeated the expletive. The policeman warned Shanker again, and he repeated the vulgarity once more. He was then arrested by the officer.
Stole McChicken burgers
On 19 October last year, at about 12.40am, Shanker stole two McDonald’s McChicken burgers valued at $4 from a passer-by who was waiting to cross the road at Block 600 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh Central.
The victim called the police, and officers found Shanker nearby at about 1.20am.
When a policeman told Shanker that he would be arrested for theft, Shanker used abusive words on the officer. When the policeman told him there was no need to resort to vulgarities, Shanker mumbled incoherently and swore at the officer again.
When officers subsequently arrested him, Shanker loudly exclaimed an expletive.
String of other crimes
At about 4pm on 1 November last year, Shanker drunkenly exposed his private parts to a passer-by at a HDB block in Lorong 4 Toa Payoh.
On 28 January this year, at about 12.30pm, he misappropriated a pillow case valued at $1 from a third-floor unit of a HDB block at Lorong 4 Toa Payoh.
On 15 June, police received a call at about 3pm about an Indian man with a bleeding head who was hitting people on the head in Lorong 37 Geylang. Officers found Shanker walking in the area with an unsteady gait and blood on the back of his head. He kept telling the policemen to leave him alone.
Shortly after, while boarding an ambulance, Shanker spat at the policemen who were escorting him. Officers found a packet of drugs on him and his urine later tested positive for Class A controlled drugs.
At the hospital, Shanker also spat at a policewoman’s face.
Stole from 11-year-old boy
On 17 October, at about 5.40pm, Shanker went up to a 11-year-old boy who was having a meal by himself at Scissors Cut Curry Rice along Jalan Besar.
The boy had placed his wallet containing $9 on the table. Shanker told the boy, “change, change” and then took out a $5 note from it. When the boy called out to Shanker, he replied, “change, change”, then put the wallet back onto the table and left.
The boy made a police report with the help of a passer-by. Officers arrested Shanker at about 7.50pm after his photos, taken from CCTV footage at the eatery, were disseminated to police officers on patrol.
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