KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Being short on money, a desperate father did the only thing he could think of to give his child a birthday present - steal.

However, the 44-year-old man, a member of a film crew, was not lucky enough to get away with the act.

Security guards caught him when he exited a popular departmental store here without paying for the children's clothing, which were worth RM133.70.

On Monday, Amarjit Singh Jasmail Singh pleaded guilty to committing the shoplifting offence.

He admitted that he stole the items from the Jusco outlet in MidValley Megamall around 4pm on March 6.

In mitigation, counsel Wan Ahmad Wan Omar asked for a reduced sentence saying his client did not have a lot of income.

"He committed the offence because he wanted to get a gift for his child's birthday," he said.

Magistrate Maimoonah Aid sentenced Amarjit Singh to a day's jail and fined him RM800.

The fine was paid.