Jacob Roger Marcel, a French national, has been handed a one-year prison sentence by the Denpasar District Court after he was found guilty of breaking into an Alfamart convenience store in South Kuta, Badung.
Presiding Judge Yogi Rachmawan stated in the verdict that Marcel had been irrefutably and convincingly proven guilty of committing the act of theft.
“The punishment bestowed upon the defendant is one year of incarceration, taking into account the time already spent in detention,” he said yesterday.
Judge Yogi deemed Marcel’s actions a direct violation of Article 362 of the Criminal Code, which deals with the insidious crime of theft. Marcel’s audacious act resulted in material losses totaling IDR35.7 million (US$2,396) in the form of stolen cash, along with the pilfering of 12 packs of cigarettes and two bottles of refreshing beverages.
Marcel accepted his verdict and will not launch an appeal.
The court heard that Marcel burglarized the Alfamart store on Feb. 28. In a calculated attempt to evade capture, Marcel cunningly sought refuge amidst some dense foliage, believing he could outwit the authorities.
However, the police officers, combing through the undergrowth near the scene of the crime, swiftly uncovered his hiding place. Marcel was found clutching a nondescript black cloth bag, containing both ill-gotten gains and stolen valuables.
Marcel later confessed that he gained entry into the store just before closing time. Employing his craftiness, Marcel breached the ceiling, securing his swift exit from the scene of the crime.
