Airport security officer who stole $20,000 watch from passenger after screening jailed
As a supervisor overseeing screening officers at Changi Airport, it was her job to keep an eye on security checks for contraband.
Instead, Nurshaba Samsi stole a $20,000 branded watch from a passenger who had mistakenly left it behind after going through a security screening. The 34-year-old even threw away the Franck Muller watch when she realised that it was not working.
On Friday (5 April), Nurshaba was sentenced to four weeks’ jail. She pleaded guilty to one count of dishonestly misappropriating the watch from a traveller, Wenny Damayanti, who was en route to Jakarta.
The facts of the case
At the time of the offence, Nurshaba was working as a Certis Cisco pier supervisor at Changi Airport. Her job included supervising other aviation screening officers for pre-boarding operations. She is currently unemployed.
On 25 August 2018, some time between 3.30pm and 4pm, Damayanti was at Changi Airport Terminal 3’s Combined Gate Hold Room before passing through an X-ray security screening at gate A19.
She placed her handbag and her Franck Muller watch into a tray for the screening. Thereafter, she collected her belongings, but forgot her watch, which had dropped onto the floor during the screening.
An aviation security officer notified Nurshaba – who was supervising the screening – that he had found a black watch.
Nurshaba placed the watch on a standee between the X-ray machines. When she finished her shift, she placed the watch in her pouch and brought it to her locker, where she transferred it to her bag. She then brought the watch home.
Damayanti only noticed that she had lost her watch after boarding her flight. She lodged a report with the Changi Airport Department upon reaching Jakarta and was advised to lodge a police report. Her friend did so on her behalf on 1 September 2018.
Procedures not followed, restitution made
When items are found in the Gate Hold Room, it is standard procedure for officers to key information on the items onto an electronic flight operation form. The items are then handed to the information counter.
During investigations, Nurshaba told the police that she found the procedure inconvenient. She said she would simply hand the items over to the information counter. However, Nurshaba did neither of these things.
According to Nurshaba’s lawyer John Koh, the woman realised the watch was spoilt after bringing it home and threw it away. “My client did not appreciate the value of the item she was taking. I don’t think anyone would simply discard it away,” said Koh, who is from Populus Law.
The watch was not recovered. However, Nurshaba was able to make full restitution of $20,000 on 27 February this year, after receiving an inheritance from her late mother. She is currently unemployed.
Koh asked for three to four weeks’ jail, saying, “Nurshaba sincerely regrets the events that have occurred. At her first appearance, she elected to plead guilty and this is indicative that she is truly remorseful for her actions.”
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Chong Yun Ling noted that Nurshaba had abused her position as a supervisor to misappropriate the watch while on duty. He added that there is a procedure for officers to return lost items, but it would be “rendered meaningless” if security officers do not adhere to it.
DPP Chong asked for a sentence of five weeks’ jail.
Dishonest misappropriation of movable property carries a jail term of up to two years and/or a fine.
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