SINGAPORE: An IT help desk engineer stole 49 Apple devices from the school where he worked and sold them for profit, making S$ 13, 200 ( US$ 9, 700 ) in total.
Lim Poh Heng Andrew, 29, was sentenced to nine months ‘ jail and fined S$ 1, 200 on Monday ( Feb 10 ).
He admitted guilt on a single criminal breach of trust cost.
The prosecutor was informed that Lim had worked at the IT help desk at Stamford American International School since June 2023.
His task was to support the school’s around 3, 250 students and 660 staff with IT issues, and maintain the inventory for the school’s electrical devices.
In its IT agencies, the university kept the products that students and staff may borrow. When a student or employee was loaned out, the serial number for each unit was attached to the system.
Lim had the ability to assign products to students and staff as part of his job by using a two-factor verification process on his cellular phone or email.
Lim logged into the university’s computer program in November 2023, giving himself a MacBook Air computer.
To hinder the features on the devices, all the products used an Apple School Manager site for the institution.
Lim so reprogrammed the computer by removing it from the university’s client, restoring its full functionality.
After using the computer himself, he sold it on Carousell.
Till February 2024, Lim misappropriated a full of 13 MacBook Air devices and 33 tablets. The 46 tools were valued at S$ 31, 772 in full.
He also removed any batteries and charging cables that had been spared along with the equipment, so his actions would not be noticed.
He sold 39 of the stolen devices at the rate of S$ 600 to S$ 800 for a MacBook Air, and S$ 100 to S$ 200 for an iPad.
In March 2024, the university’s managing director of businesses discovered another individual had stolen brand-new devices.
Consequently, to reduce the risk of such incidents reoccurring, the university limited access to the system for allocating loaned products to three individuals in the IT department.
Lim remained anonymous despite being one of the three survivors.
The IT department brain noticed that some electronic gadgets were missing around April 2024, and asked Lim about two of the items.
Lim claimed that Lim had canceled the two involved.
The ministry head and managing director conducted further investigation because the industry’s standard operating procedures for scrapping equipment had not been followed.
They discovered that 46 products could not be accounted for, as these were never released to employees or pupils, but were also not in the school’s IT practices.
When Lim was confronted, he admitted to the crimes. Additionally, authorities searched his apartment and discovered unsellable items he had stolen.
The class suffered a complete loss of S$ 25, 622. Lim made a gain of S$ 13, 200. After the crimes came to light, he made limited restitution of S$ 12, 000 to the class.
The prosecutor argued for the release of the remaining illegal income Lim made that were not returned, and for nine to ten months in jail and a S$ 1,200 great.
In his prevention, Lim, who did certainly have a solicitor, apologised to his former coworkers and boss for his wrongdoing.  ,
He said,” I committed this crime with the intention of at least having a better future, but my greed and desire stifled my wisdom and I made a pretty poor decision.”
According to the judge, Lim’s partial compensation accounted for about 40 % of the school’s overall reduction.
He even noted that Lim pleaded guilty first, worked with studies, and had no previous beliefs.
Up to 15 years in prison and a good are possible for a criminal breach of trust. As Lim’s command was amalgamated, he could have been given up to two times the maximum sentence.