Former site supervisor pleads guilty to theft of about S$350,000 in cash & items
By Lynda Hong | Posted: 05 August 2010 1728 hrs
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SINGAPORE: A former site supervisor pleaded guilty this morning in court to stealing nearly S$350,000 worth of cash and items from landed residential property.
Matthew Ong Joo Wah, 36, committed the offences on three occasions during the day in March. He would enter the victims' houses when no one was home and stole Rolex watches and jewellery.
According to court documents, he would then go to the casino at Resorts World Sentosa to sell some of the stolen items to an illegal goods dealer there. After selling the items for cash, Ong then used the money to gamble in the casino.
Ong has previous convictions for theft and was released from prison in 2003.
His lawyer, Mr Raymond Ng, told the court that Ong had turned over a new leaf and had been working hard to earn a living for himself and his family.
He said Ong, who is married with two young children, had been introduced to a Vietnamese girl, by his former colleague, earlier this year and began an affair with her.
He then could not concentrate at work and had been fired by his employer just before Chinese New Year.
Ong will appear in court again on August 26. - CNA/vm