Elderly woman arrested for stealing sea cucumbers, fruits, and pickpocketing

SINGAPORE: A 71-year-old woman was arrested not only for stealing sea cucumbers and fruits from a neighbourhood store, but also for pickpocketing, specifically targeting women walking alone. The suspect is now facing nine charges of theft and one charge of violating the Gambling Control Act. She pleaded guilty to five of the charges and was sentenced to seven weeks’ imprisonment and a fine of S$2,000. 

According to case investigations, the suspect stole a box of lychees, amounting to more than S$30, from a fruit stall in Ang Mo Kio Avenue. The stall owner’s daughter reported the theft to the police, which the suspect compensated in full. 

Moreover, the suspect looked for targets, especially women, who were out alone in Yishun carrying handbags and would steal when the victim was not paying attention. The suspect then stole a wallet from a 74-year-old woman at a clothing stall, when the victim’s handbag was not zipped up. 

The suspect then discovered a stack of lottery ticket stubs and betting slips inside the wallet, so she threw them into the trash can. However, a police officer witnessed her actions, and after being confronted, the suspect eventually admitted to stealing an elderly woman’s wallet. Further investigations revealed that the suspect also attempted to harm another victim in the same area. 

In addition to her crimes, the suspect also stole sea cucumbers worth more than S$600 at a shop located in Bukit Batok East Avenue 4, and had her friend resell these for S$400. This crime was captured on CCTV, and the staff discovered it during inventory and immediately called the police. 

In court, the suspect’s lawyer pleaded for leniency, stating that the suspect suffered a mild mental disorder and mild intellectual disability. The lawyer also claimed that she has a weaker ability to control herself under pressure.

Furthermore, the lawyer said that the suspect underwent surgery for cancer this year and was also hospitalised for pneumonia. With this, the suspect’s sons have promised to take care of their mother and make sure that she does not repeat any offence. 

The suspect is also willing to compensate all the victims and pleads with the judge for a more lenient sentence. 

In separate news about theft, it was recently reported that a 45-year-old unemployed man decided to steal his roommate’s Rolex watch and pawn it to travel abroad.

 The suspect was also involved in multiple fraud cases and pleaded guilty to three charges, including cheating and theft, and was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment. 

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