Man gets 10 months behind bars after pleading guilty to breaking into coffee shop

SIBU: A man was sentenced to 10 months in prison by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday after he pleaded guilty to committing break-in.

Goh Tiam Aik, 44, was charged under Section 457 of the Penal Code, which provides a maximum of 14-year imprisonment and the offender shall also be liable to a fine, upon conviction; for the second or subsequent offence, the offender shall in either case be liable to fine or whipping, upon conviction.

According to the charge sheet, the break-in occurred inside a coffee shop at Lanang Road here on Jan 25 this year, based on footage from a closed-circuit television (CCTV) recording.

It is reported that the coffeeshop owner arrived at the premises at 9.20am that day, where he discovered that the aluminium shutter was open and it appeared that the shop had been broken into.

He listed a gas cylinder, some cash and three pieces of towels as items missing from the shop.

Upon reviewing the CCTV recording, it could be seen that a man, resembling Goh, had entered the premises – the timestamp on the footage was at 4.46am.

Following the immediate action taken by police after a report had been lodged by the complainant, Goh was arrested at Sungai Merah Market at 3.05am the next day (Jan 26).