Teen set fire to Polo Ralph Lauren, Refash booths at VivoCity and HarbourFront as 'coping mechanism'
David Sun
The Straits Times
Nov 3, 2025
Several pop-up booths at VivoCity and HarbourFront malls went up in flames after a depressed teenager set their merchandise and equipment ablaze, causing over $27,000 in damage.
Yogesh Pubalan Pubalan, 19, was convicted on Nov 3 after pleading guilty to two counts of mischief. A third mischief charge will be taken into consideration for sentencing.
He was feeling upset while walking around VivoCity on the night of March 19, and suddenly felt an urge to set the booths on fire.
At around 11.10pm, he found a Polo Ralph Lauren pop-up booth outside the Polo store on the first floor of the mall that was closed for the day.
After confirming that no one was around, Yogesh took out a lighter from his pocket and set fire to a black cloth covering the booth, then stood nearby to watch the fire spread.
The blaze was eventually put out by passers-by, and caused over $17,000 in damage.
At around 11.20pm, Yogesh found an Oh!Sunny pop-up booth and set it on fire in the same way.
The booth suffered about $900 in damage.
Yogesh then walked over to the main atrium on the first floor of HarbourFront Centre, and saw a Refash pop-up booth.
He set fire to it at around 11.40pm, and again stood nearby to watch as the flames spread.
Passers-by noticed the fire and triggered the alarm before it was put out. The blaze caused over $9,000 in damage to the clothes and clothing racks.
Yogesh was arrested on March 20 and was examined at the Institute of Mental Health.
A doctor there said he suffered from major depressive disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, and was likely in early relapse around the time of the offences.
The doctor added that there was likely a contributory link between his disorders and the offences, as his actions were a coping mechanism due to impaired judgment and self-control.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Karl Tan said these were serious offences, but the prosecution was asking for a report to assess Yogesh's suitability for probation and mandatory treatment as he is young and was unwell at the time.
The DPP added, however, that Yogesh had made restitution of only $1,200, and that it would only be fair if full restitution was made as the fires affected the livelihoods of businesses and their employees.
Public Defender Mohamed Sarhan, who was representing Yogesh, said the teen did not offend out of ill will.
He added that the reports would shed more light on the financial difficulties faced by Yogesh's family.
District Judge Carol Ling had asked for the positions of the lawyers on the calling of a report to determine Yogesh's suitability for reformative training, a strict regime of rehabilitation.
DPP Tan said he had no objection, while PD Sarhan said reformative training would not be suitable.
The judge then called for suitability reports for probation and mandatory treatment.
She said she would hold off on calling for such a report for reformative training for now, but that she may still decide to do so later.
Yogesh is expected to be back in court on Jan 19, 2026, for sentencing.
For each count of mischief, he may be jailed for up to three months and fined.
