Cabby steals phone of woman he met for dinner, then punches her face

By Amir Hussain
The Straits Times
Dec 12, 2016

A 62-year-old taxi driver who stole a woman's mobile phone and punched her in the face was on Monday (Dec 12) jailed for one week.

Koh Pit Ann pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and one of causing hurt.

A district court heard that Koh met the victim, Ms Phang Chiu Yen, 42, managing director of a company dealing in healthcare and skin products, for supper at Ang Mo Kio Hub at about 11.30pm on Feb 23.

At about 3.30am the next day, they went to her flat in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.

Ms Phang placed her Samsung Galaxy Note 5 phone worth $1,000 on her bedroom floor to charge.

At about 6.15am, just after the cabbie left her unit, Ms Phang realised that her phone was missing.

She found Koh at a bus stop along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 at about 6.20am.

When Ms Phang asked him to return her mobile phone, Koh denied taking it.

But she saw a phone in his left front pocket and reached for it.

Koh stopped her from taking it by punching her in the face once, causing a 1cm cut on her upper lip with minor bleeding.

He also grabbed her hands and pushed her, causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on the ground, before running away.

This third charge of using criminal force was taken into account in sentencing.

Koh was arrested at about 7.40am on Feb 25 while he was trying to leave the Tuas Checkpoint.

The maximum punishment for theft is up to three years' jail and a fine, and for causing hurt, up to two years' jail and a fine of up to $5,000.

The Straits Times

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