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Aug 3, 2011
Man jailed for swopping diamonds with replicas
By Elena Chong
A man who swopped diamonds with replicas at various jewellery shops was on Wednesday, jailed for 12 months. -- PHOTO: LEE HWA
A MAN who swopped diamonds with replicas at various jewellery shops was on Wednesday, jailed for 12 months.
Loh Han Kok, 39, who was originally accused of cheating, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of diamonds worth $51,782, last November and December.
Loh, who had been in the jewellery line, committed the offences at Chip Lee Goldsmith Jewellery in Yishun Central, Lee Hwa Jewellery at Causeway Point, and Citigems at 313@Somerset.
Four other charges - two of theft and one each of fraudulent possession and attempted theft - were taken into consideration.
The court heard that for a month from Nov 9, he went to different jewellery shops and induced the sales assistants into believing that he wanted to buy a one-carat loose diamond.
While examining the genuine diamonds, he would prolong his time at the shops to wait for the right opportunity to swop the genuine diamonds with fakes.
He would then send the loose diamond for certification and sell them to a jeweller in Chinatown.
His bank account with the criminal proceeds from the sale of the loose diamonds amounting to $19,523, was frozen by the police.
Man jailed for swopping diamonds with replicas
By Elena Chong
A man who swopped diamonds with replicas at various jewellery shops was on Wednesday, jailed for 12 months. -- PHOTO: LEE HWA
A MAN who swopped diamonds with replicas at various jewellery shops was on Wednesday, jailed for 12 months.
Loh Han Kok, 39, who was originally accused of cheating, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of diamonds worth $51,782, last November and December.
Loh, who had been in the jewellery line, committed the offences at Chip Lee Goldsmith Jewellery in Yishun Central, Lee Hwa Jewellery at Causeway Point, and Citigems at 313@Somerset.
Four other charges - two of theft and one each of fraudulent possession and attempted theft - were taken into consideration.
The court heard that for a month from Nov 9, he went to different jewellery shops and induced the sales assistants into believing that he wanted to buy a one-carat loose diamond.
While examining the genuine diamonds, he would prolong his time at the shops to wait for the right opportunity to swop the genuine diamonds with fakes.
He would then send the loose diamond for certification and sell them to a jeweller in Chinatown.
His bank account with the criminal proceeds from the sale of the loose diamonds amounting to $19,523, was frozen by the police.
