SINGAPORE, Nov 1 — A property agent who threatened to stab a finance company boss after his car was repossessed has been sentenced to six weeks in prison.
Vernon Yang Zhi Xian, 30, pleaded guilty on Oct 31 to three charges, including two counts of harassment, The Straits Times reporteed.
The court heard that Yang’s car was repossessed by the finance company, Auto Lease, after he defaulted on payments. On Oct 22, 2024, he made a series of frantic calls in an attempt to retrieve work-related documents left inside the vehicle.
He first called the Singapore Police Force’s found and unclaimed property office from a Ghim Moh multi-storey car park. When a female officer asked for a report number, Yang grew angry and said: “You expect me to investigate the case?”
Despite her attempts to calm him, an agitated Yang threatened: “You don’t call me back by today, I will... bring a knife and go and kill people... Now I go to the boss’s house and stab him!”
Minutes later, Yang called the Jurong Police Division and told another police officer he would stab the man within 15 minutes, first at his house and then at his workplace if he could not be found.
He then called Auto Lease’s office directly, telling an employee to return his belongings from the car by 2pm or he would take a knife to their office and “chop someone.” Alarmed, the employee alerted the police.
An investigation officer later contacted Yang and convinced him to meet at Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, where he was arrested upon arrival.
Despite the violent threats, Deputy Public Prosecutor Xavier Tan noted that Yang did not actually intend to carry them out.
Yang is appealing against his sentence. His bail has been set at S$15,000.
