SINGAPORE: A security guard pocketed the valuables rather than giving them back to their rightful owner when a bystander picked up and handed the resident’s dropped wallet, which contained S$ 500 ( US$ 376 ).
A 56-year-old Malaysian man named Murugaiya was given a three-week prison term on Wednesday, January 3, for his crime.
He admitted guilt to one matter of rude theft, a criminal breach of trust.
According to the court, the victim, a 46-year-old guy, dropped his bag and tips on August 27 of last year at the entrance to The Alcove Condominium, where he resided.
According to court documents, the bag was a dark Louis Vuitton pocket valued at S$ 1,800.
A bystander happened to pick up the wallet and locks days after the victim left and picked them up.
Murugaiya, who was manning the surveillance table at the property, received the budget from the bystander right away. It contained at least S$ 500.
Murugaiya, however, kept the funds and pocket and brought them home with him.
The sufferer met with Murugaiya and his supervisor the following day to discuss his misplaced budget.
Murugaiya later acknowledged taking the wallet and signed a document stating that it was with him along with his supervisor.
On August 29, 2023, the victim received his locks back, but only a day later, he got his pocket, which was missing S$ 490.
There was only S$ 10 left in the budget, and it was never retrieved.
Murugaiya did not offer any compensation.
After the survivor reported it to the police, Murugaiya was detained and arrested in December 2023.
Given Murugaiya’s lack of prior convictions, the attorney asked for at least four weeks in jail.
But, she claimed that Murugaiya, a security official tasked with ensuring the safety of the premises, house, and unit residents, had been given “high quality and level of confidence.”
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashley Poh, any condominium resident who gives a missing item back to the accused may have great faith that the item would be returned to its rightful owner properly.
She continued by saying that the victim did n’t receive the wallet back until after speaking with Murugaiya and his boss.
According to Ms. Poh,” the full value of the item misappropriated in the first place, before the accused was confronted, amounted to at least S$ 2, 300 in worth.”
Murugaiya could have been imprisoned for up to seven times, fined, or both for a criminal breach of trust caused by deceptive theft.