Chinese visitor targeted luxury homes, stole nearly S$100,000 in jewellery during first Singapore trip

SINGAPORE: A Chinese man admitted to stealing more than S$100,000 worth of jewellery after allegedly targeting two homes during his first visit to Singapore, according to Yan.sg.

Court proceedings revealed that the man arrived in Singapore on Dec 5, 2025. Believing the country to be affluent, he allegedly set out the following day to scout for potential targets in Sentosa before carrying out the thefts.

Investigations found that he noticed the lights were off in a suite at a luxury resort, forced open a balcony window, and entered the unit. He allegedly stole a Chanel watch worth S$30,000, five rings valued at S$25,000, and a gold necklace worth S$3,000.

The suspect wanted to steal again for the third time, but as soon as he climbed into another private residence, he unfortunately ran into the family’s maid. He then fled in panic. 

Authorities successfully arrested the suspect after a homeowner reported the loss. They also recovered all the stolen jewellery. The man is now faced with three charges, and he pleaded guilty to two of these. The remaining charge is to be considered by the judge during sentencing. Punishment for such a crime entails a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, alongside a hefty fine. 

In similar news related to stealing, there was a report where a homeowner caught a part-time maid stealing money after using a security camera and recording the serial numbers of several banknotes.

With this, the maid pleaded guilty to one count of theft. She then apologised for her actions and sought a lighter sentence, expressing a wish to return home as soon as possible.

Read more about the news story here.