SINGAPORE: A 25-year-old maid was sentenced to one month in prison on Friday (September 2) for stealing around S$4,600 from her employer’s family.
She sent most of it to Indonesia and used some to buy clothes, cosmetics and mobile phones.
Bela Kharisma Lut Fitriana returned about S$3,500 from her employer’s salary. The court heard she had no other finances to cover the rest of her life.
Bella pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and another was considered.
The court heard that Bella began working for her employer in April 2020. She cooked for her family, did household chores, and was granted access to the bedrooms of the first victims, a 42-year-old woman and her 74-year-old woman. old father.
She found the victim had a safe in a cupboard in her room and saw the password written in a book. She also noticed that victims’ fathers often left their wallets in unlocked drawers.
Between April and December 2021, Bela stole at least S$1,468 from a safe and S$3,150 from a wallet.
She called a housekeeper friend and repeatedly sent a total of S$3,390 to her family in Indonesia.
She also used the money to buy clothes, cosmetics, watches and two mobile phones.
Meanwhile, the victim began noticing the loss of cash. On December 30, 2021, the first victim questioned Bella about missing money from her safe and wallet, and Bella admitted to stealing.
A police report was filed and police seized 25 items Bella had purchased with the stolen money. These include jeans, jackets, shirts, liquid lipsticks, body lotions and night creams.
Prosecutors sought one to two months in prison, stating that Vera had committed the crime for a considerable period of time.
Unrepresented Vera asked for leniency through an interpreter. She said she wants to go back to Indonesia.
When the judge asked if he could make the rest of the return, Bella said she didn’t have other resources and didn’t have enough money.
Her prison term was backdated to the date of her arrest in August of this year.
For theft within her residence, she could face up to seven years in prison and a fine.
