Couple in Australia fined S$5.5K because thief who stole their car was not wearing seatbelt

Couple in Australia fined S$5.5K because thief who stole their car did not wear a seatbelt

After a traumatic home invasion, things got worse for a couple in Australia when they were fined AU$6,258 (S$5,580) because one of the thieves who stole their car was caught on traffic cameras not wearing a seatbelt.

In an interview with Today Australia, the couple said they have until 3 March to pay the fine.

Home invasion and car theft

The theft occurred while the couple were asleep in their home in Gold Coast. The husband, identified as Hamid, woke up to the sound of the thieves rummaging through their home.

He jumped out of bed to chase them out, but they had already taken the car keys along with home items, including a vacuum, a gym bag and some shoes.

Hamid then called the police to report the crime. However, in true brazen fashion, the thieves returned to the scene of the crime and stole the car.

“Obviously, the family were very affected, just crying, and that’s when they came back,” Hamid said. “They came back with no fear and just took the car.”

According to The Daily Mail, Queensland police have yet to investigate the crime despite the break-in occurring over three weeks ago.

That did not stop the transport authority from sending them a fine, though.

One of the thieves was caught on camera not wearing a seatbelt, resulting in this infringement.

Hamid lamented that if authorities were able to fine him via the cameras, why were they unable to track down the thieves who actually drove the vehicle without a seatbelt.

You could be liable for similar fines unless you file a police report

In Singapore, you might be liable for similar fines unless you notify the police immediately.

Under Section 83 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, the owner of a vehicle committing a violation will be presumed guilty unless the owner can prove that the vehicle was stolen or illegally taken during the time period when the violation occurred.