Two Chinese nationals, 43 & 50, get 14 months’ jail in Singapore for stealing S$300 from donation box at Balestier temple
Two men are arrested by Singapore police officers for temple theft
SINGAPORE: Two Chinese men who climbed over a temple fence in Balestier and stole about S$300 from donation boxes have each been jailed for 14 months.
Liao Quanwan, 50, and Liao Yongzhan, 43, used homemade fishing tools to pull banknotes through the narrow openings of the boxes. Their theft was interrupted by a monk, who caught them in the act.
Both men pleaded guilty to one charge of housebreaking to commit theft and another charge of attempted housebreaking, Lianhe Zaobao reported (Nov 5).
Homemade tools used to steal temple donations
The two men were friends who had known each other in China. They decided in March 2026 to travel to Singapore to gamble and commit theft, believing the country was wealthy.
Before their trip, they prepared tools made from thin strings and sticky tape. Their plan was to lower the sticky end through a donation box opening, attach it to banknotes and pull the money out.
After arriving with a tour group, they secretly surveyed possible targets before settling on the Burmese Buddhist Temple at 14 Tai Gin Road.
Between 1:15 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on April 2, they climbed over the temple’s fence and began fishing money out of its donation boxes.
They managed to take about S$300 before a monk walking past to collect water spotted them and shouted at them.
The two men fled over the fence after being discovered. They threw their homemade tools into a roadside drain before taking a taxi back to their hotel.
They then packed their belongings and headed to Changi Airport, where they changed their flight arrangements to leave Singapore earlier.
The stolen money went towards their return air tickets, food and cigarettes. Neither man made any compensation for the theft. Their escape, however, didn't put an end to their plans.
Return trip ends with arrests at Changi Airport
After reaching China, the pair decided to return to Singapore in August 2026. They intended to gamble again and look for more opportunities to break into properties.
On Aug 17, they arrived at Changi Airport on a flight from China. Police arrested both men at the immigration checkpoint. They had also planned another housebreaking offence during their August trip, although the intended theft couldn’t be carried out.
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The two men have since been remanded and were each sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment.
Stealing from a place of worship carries more than the loss of money. Donations come from people who give willingly, trusting that their contributions will be used for the temple. A few hundred dollars may seem like a small amount, but that doesn't make taking it any less serious.