Singapore Boys Face Seven Years' Jail for Bus Theft

Three Singaporean teenagers are facing the prospect of up to seven years behind bars for allegedly stealing school buses to go on joyrides, the Straits Times reported Wednesday.

A police statement said the three boys, aged 15 to 17, were arrested Monday after investigations showed they were the behind the theft of two school buses on an industrial estate.

"In both cases, the doors of the buses were forced open and the keys which were left in the ignition were used to start the buses," said police in a statement on their website.

The newspaper reported that the boys had taken the buses to go joyriding, although police refused to confirm the reason. Both vehicles were later recovered.

All three teenagers were charged with theft of a motor vehicle, which carries a maximum term of seven years in prison.

Police said investigations had revealed that the three teenagers were also involved in other attempts to steal vehicles.

Singapore is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a car due to high taxes and a vehicle quota system. The minimum driving age in the affluent city-state is 18 years.

An entry-level Toyota Vios sedan has a list price of Sg$119,488 ($95,000).