SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force said a 38-year-old man was arrested in connection with the theft of a box containing red ang bao envelopes during a wedding reception.
The reception took place on Oct 17 (Saturday) at a hotel located along Beach Road. At around 9:15 p.m., the Police were alerted to a theft when an unknown man took a money box containing red packets with cash estimated at around S$1,500.
However, officers from Central Police Division established the identity of the man with the help of ground enquiries and CCTV images, and he was arrested the following day.
The man was charged in court on Tuesday (Oct 20) with the offence of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code. If he is found guilty, he faces a jail sentence of as long as seven years as well as a fine.
The man has since been identified in a CNA report as Lee Yi Wei, a Singaporean national. The report further said that the theft took place at around 7:30 p.m. at the Palm Ballroom at the Raffles Hotel.
“The Police have zero tolerance for such acts of crime and will spare no effort to apprehend offenders and deal with them in accordance with the law. Members of the public are advised to remain vigilant and keep their valuables secure, particularly at celebratory events and in crowded areas,” SPF said in a media release about the incident.
Unfortunately, ang bao theft is not uncommon in Singapore.
Last month, a 46-year-old building technician from India was given a 10-month jail sentence after he took advantage of his employment position and stole a number of red envelopes that contained cash and vouchers on two separate occasions.
In June, a 27-year-old Myanmar national who worked as a domestic helper was also given a 10-month jail sentence. She had stolen thousands of dollars from red ang bao envelopes as well as other money from the children of her employer. The helper eventually stole a total of S$17,000 to fund her addiction to online gambling. /TISG
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