Maid who stole from employer then fled to embassy jailed 5 months
SINGAPORE — An Indonesian maid pried open a locked drawer in her employer’s home then fled with $6,000 in cash and some gold jewellery, a court heard.
Murtinah, who goes by one name, pawned some of the jewellery and remitted about $2,000 to her family before heading to the Indonesian Embassy to seek “shelter”. Despite her efforts, she was still tracked down by the police.
At the State Courts on Tuesday (26 November), Murtinah was jailed five months after pleading guilty to one charge of theft as a servant. In total, she stole $6,000 in cash along with a gold pendent, three gold chains and three gold rings.
Another charge of mischief for using a pair of scissors to pry open the locked drawer and another count of theft in a building for stealing $200 in cash from her employer were considered in sentencing.
Struck while family was out
On 25 March, Murtinah’s employer and other family members left for work in the morning, leaving the maid alone at home. At about 9.30am, she used a pair of scissors to pry open a locked drawer in the wardrobe of the master bedroom.
She stole the following items: $5,000 in Singapore dollars, $1,000 in Malaysian ringgit, three gold rings, three gold chains and one gold pendant.
The maid pawned two of the gold chains, two of the gold rings and the gold pendant for $1,190 at the ValueMax Pawnshop along Queen Street. She then remitted about $2,000 to her family in Indonesia.
“The accused then went to the Indonesian Embassy to seek shelter,” said State Prosecuting Officer S. Krishnan.
Murtinah’s employer returned home at about 4.50pm to find her missing. The employer also found her belongings missing from the drawer of her wardrobe and called the police.
Krishnan noted that Murtinah was traced by the police after the employer’s report was made.
The maid has not made any restitution to date. The five pieces of gold jewellery that were pawned were seized by police for investigations while the remaining stolen items have not yet been found.
Murtinah’s jail term was backdated to the date of her remand on 19 November.
The maximum punishment for theft as an employee is up to seven years’ jail along with a fine.
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