Green heist in Yishun: Alleged bonsai bandit busted after S$1,500 plant pilfering spree
SINGAPORE, June 12 — A 42-year-old man has been charged with stealing a mini jungle of potted plants — including six prized bonsai — in Singapore's Yishun neighbourhood, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported today.
Between June 5 and 8, Lee De Yuan allegedly went on a leafy looting spree in the early hours, making off with 18 potted plants, three flowerpots, and two plant racks.
The total haul? S$1,514 (RM5,000) worth of carefully nurtured greenery, according to police.
Among the stolen flora were lohansong bonsai trees (two large, two small), fu gui and camellia plants, cactuses, lucky bamboo, and even gold-coloured pots.
According to CNA, Police zeroed in on Lee using footage from police cameras and nearby CCTVs.
He was arrested on Tuesday, and officers managed to recover the stolen plants.
Lee was charged today and will return to court on June 19. If convicted, he could face up to three years in jail, a fine, or both.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
China and Hong Kong national security authorities launch 1st publicly known joint operation
HONG KONG — China's national security authorities in Hong Kong and the city's police launched their first publicly known joint operation, raiding the homes of six people on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. The police's statement on late Thursday did not disclose the identity of the six people suspected of breaking the 2020 Beijing-imposed national security law between November 2020 and June 2024. Beyond their homes, officers searched the office of the organization involved and seized exhibits such as bank documents and devices for further investigation, according to the statement. The six people were required to surrender their travel documents.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Deadly Air India plane crash renews concerns after a string of other crashes for Boeing
The crash of a Boeing 787 passenger jet in India minutes after takeoff on Thursday is putting the spotlight back on a beleaguered manufacturer though it was not immediately clear why the plane crashed. The Air India 787 went down in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad with more than 240 people aboard shortly after takeoff, authorities said.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man to be sentenced for attacking officers with hatchet outside police station
A man with a grudge against authority, who attacked officers outside a South Wales police station armed with a Molotov cocktail, a knife and a hatchet, will be sentenced on Friday. Alexander Dighton, 28, attacked three police officers at Talbot Green police station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, on January 31, stabbing one in the leg and knocking another unconscious. He previously pleaded guilty to 10 charges relating to the incident at a hearing before the Old Bailey in March. Dighton, of Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, arrived at the police station shortly before 7pm, where he lit a petrol bomb and threw it at a police van. When that failed to ignite, he attempted to start a fire by pouring lighter fluid over the van before smashing the windows of two vehicles using a pole. When confronted by officers, Dighton said: 'I'm fed up, I'm done,' before launching his attack. Attempts to restrain him using a Taser were unsuccessful because of the body armour he was wearing. He swung a pole at one officer, punched one in the head and stabbed another in the thigh, narrowly missing his femoral artery. Two of the three injured officers were taken to hospital for treatment. On being arrested, Dighton said: 'I have been damned from birth.' He went on to admit his actions, saying he was motivated by an anti-government ideology but denied intending to kill a police officer. The defendant declined legal representation, despite being told the maximum sentence for some of the charges was life in prison. He told Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb: 'Authority is not my problem. It's the use of authority which to me is the problem, the use of authority I have seen since I was 15, that's my problem.' The senior judge asked him again if he would like to delay the case so he could take legal advice. The defendant replied: 'That will be all right, thank you. I perfectly understand it.' He admitted the attempted murder of Detective Constable Jack Cotton, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Sergeant Richard Coleman, assaulting Pc Joshua Emlyn and threatening Pc Stephanie Fleming with an adapted wooden pole. He also pleaded guilty to the attempted arson of a police van, two counts of damaging police property and having an adapted wooden pole, a knife and a hatchet. Dighton was remanded into custody.
