Tortoise thieves to do hard time - Malay Press Item

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: THE STAR (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) 28 December 99 Tortoise thieves to do hard time : Penang: Two unemployed men were jailed for four years by a magistrate's court yesterday for stealing 21 tortoises from the Kek Lok Si temple in Air Itam recently. : Magistrate S. Thangavelu jailed Idris Maina, 53, three years from the date of his arrest on Dec 18. : Idris, who has five previous convictions, was also ordered to undergo one year police supervision. : Goh Chin Hock, 29, was jailed 12 months, also from the same date. : Both men, of Jalan Datuk Keramat, admitted stealing the tortoises, worth RM4,000 from the temple at Jalan Dam, Air Itam at 4.30am on Dec 18. : Prosecuting officer Chief Insp J. Y. Lim, presenting the facts of the case, said the temple's Rev Th'ng Boon Chye was informed of the theft at 4.30am that day. : When he reached the tortoise pond (at the temple), he saw two men, identified as the accused persons, leaving the scene in a taxi. : Rev Th'ng suspecting that the men had stolen the tortoises, asked the people there to call the police. : The taxi with the two men was blocked at the congested market area where they were arrested by police at 4.40am. : Police checked the car boot and found the 21 tortoises inside. : In mitigation, Idris asked for his sentence to be effective from the date of his arrest while Goh said he was a first offender and therefore, should be bound over. : Chief Insp Lim asked for a heavy sentence as the crime was committed at a holy place frequented by Buddhist worshippers. : Before sentence was passed, the court was told that Goh would pass the tortoises from the pond to Idris who was waiting nearby to be taken to the taxi. :

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