Indian-origin security guard jailed for pocketing resident's wallet in Singapore

Singapore, Jan 4

A 56-year-old Indian-origin man was sentenced to three weeks' jail in Singapore for pocketing a Louis Vuitton wallet worth SG$1,800, dropped by an inadvertent resident and containing SG$500.

A. Murugaiya pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of criminal breach of trust by dishonest misappropriation, Channel News Asia reported.

The court heard that a 46-year-old resident, dropped his black coloured wallet and keys at the entrance of The Alcove Condominium on August 27 last year.

A passer-by found the wallet minutes after it was dropped and immediately passed it to Murugaiya, who was manning the security desk at the condominium, according to the news report.

As Murugaiya took the wallet to his home instead of returning, the victim turned up the next day asking Murugaiya and his supervisor about his lost property.

Murugaiya eventually admitted taking the wallet, and signed on a piece of paper along with his supervisor indicating that the wallet was with him.

The victim was handed back his keys on August 29, 2023, but received his wallet only a day later, with S$490 missing.

Thereafter, the victim made a police report, and Murugaiya was arrested in December 2023 and remanded.

The prosecutor sought at least four weeks' jail, noting Murugaiya's lack of past convictions.

However, she said there was a "high quality and degree of trust" placed in Murugaiya, who was a security officer tasked with ensuring the safety of the premises, property and of the condo residents.

"As such, any resident of the condominium who returns a lost item to the accused would have a high degree of trust in the accused that the item would be safely returned to the rightful owner," Channel News Asia quoted Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashley Poh as saying.

She added that the wallet was returned only after the victim spoke with Murugaiya and his supervisor.

For criminal breach of trust by dishonest misappropriation, Murugaiya could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.