SINGAPORE: A teenager stole more $90,000 from his father after helping him open a bank account and check his provident fund account. The 17-year-old boy learned his father’s login information, secretly logged in, applied for a loan, and stole the money.
The boy, who used the money to go fishing and travel, was sentenced to 21 months of probation. He faces three charges and pleaded guilty to one. The other two will be considered by the judge.
Since the culprit was under 18 when he committed the crime, the media was barred from reporting any information that would reveal his identity.
What happened?
Investigations showed the father asked his son to help him register an online banking account, pay for his insurance policies, and check his provident fund account. While assisting his father, the teenager discovered his father’s login information as well as the amount of his insurance and savings.
In 2024, the young man logged into his father’s provident fund account and stole more than $25,000 from his savings. He also logged into his father’s insurance account in the same year and applied for a loan of about $68,000 without authorisation.
The loan and the stolen savings were transferred to the father’s bank account, and then moved to the young man’s own account. Between July and August in 2024, the young man transferred more than $90,000 from his father’s account to his own.
The crime was uncovered when his cousins later helped check the insurance account. The father found out that a sum of money had been transferred from his own account to his son’s and reported it to the police this year.
According to the prosecution, the young man has not yet compensated his father, but the two of them have reached an agreement that the son will start paying compensation when he starts work. Alongside the 21 months of suspended sentence, the young man also needs to stay at a boys’ hostel for 12 months, observe a curfew, and perform community service.
Juvenile crimes in Singapore
In Singapore, children under 10 years old cannot be punished for crimes, since 10 is the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR) in the country. Kids aged 10 to 12 also may not be punished if they are not mature enough to understand the consequences of their crime. The court will decide if a child is mature enough to be held responsible for a crime.
Teenagers above 16 years of age will be brought before a Magistrate’s Court without delay upon arrest. Then, the court will decide if they should be released on bail or bond. Parents must attend the court hearings with their children.
