A 45-year-old Malaysian man has been sentenced to one year in jail after targeting intoxicated men who had fallen asleep in public places across Singapore, stealing their watches, jewellery and mobile phones.
The man, identified as Chen Baosheng (transliterated), pleaded guilty to three counts of theft. Another four similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
According to a report by Shin Min Daily News, Chen specifically targeted men who were drunk and unconscious, taking advantage of their inability to protect their belongings.
Stole S$11,000 Rolex From Sleeping Man
One of the incidents happened at around 1.46am on 6 June along Foch Road.
Chen spotted a 44-year-old man who had been drinking with friends at Aperia Mall before heading to a nearby eatery for supper. The man later sat at a bus stop while waiting for a taxi but eventually fell asleep due to his intoxicated condition.
Seeing an opportunity, Chen checked that nobody was around before removing the man’s Rolex watch, which was valued at approximately S$11,000.
The victim only realised his watch was missing after waking up and subsequently lodged a police report.
Investigations eventually led officers to identify Chen through CCTV footage from nearby buildings. He was arrested on 27 June, but by then, he had already brought the stolen Rolex back to Malaysia and pawned it for money.
Although he was released on bail, Chen continued committing similar offences.
Continued Stealing While Out On Bail
On the morning of 12 July, Chen encountered another intoxicated man, aged 32, sleeping on a bench. He took the victim’s gold necklace and pendant, which were worth approximately S$6,230.
Another incident occurred on 29 July, when Chen spotted a 48-year-old man who had passed out outside a bar along Serangoon Road.
This time, he stole an iPhone 16 Pro Max valued at around S$1,500.
The victim later returned to the bar that evening to review its CCTV footage before making a police report. Chen was subsequently arrested for the second time on 28 August.
The court also heard that Chen was linked to four other theft cases committed between 21 June and 15 August.
Among the items stolen were a Hermes bracelet, another mobile phone and cash. He had also attempted to steal a separate Rolex watch worth approximately S$19,000.
Lawyer Says He Is Sole Breadwinner Of Family
During sentencing, Chen’s lawyer highlighted that his client had pleaded guilty early and fully cooperated with the police.
The lawyer also pointed out that Chen had not resorted to violence, worked alone and did not plan the thefts in advance. Instead, he allegedly acted on impulse whenever he came across an opportunity.
The court was also told that Chen previously operated a hawker business in Johor Bahru but was unemployed at the time of the offences.
He was reportedly the sole breadwinner supporting his family, which consists of his wife, three children and elderly mother.
Despite these circumstances, the defence acknowledged that Chen did not intend to minimise the seriousness of his actions.
Victims Seek Return Of Their Valuables
Five of the seven victims attended the court proceedings, hoping to recover their belongings or obtain compensation for their losses.
However, Chen was unable to repay them. The judge therefore took the victims’ financial losses into account when determining his sentence.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Chen apologised repeatedly during the hearing and even bowed towards the victims.
The victim whose Rolex watch was stolen said the timepiece held significant sentimental value beyond its monetary worth.
He described Chen as greedy, particularly because the Malaysian man continued stealing despite already being out on bail.
Nevertheless, the victim indicated that he and some of the other affected individuals might consider appealing for leniency if Chen returned their stolen belongings.
He also revealed that pursuing a civil lawsuit would be his next option, although he was concerned that Chen might not have sufficient assets in Malaysia to compensate the victims.
The victim added that the experience had changed his habits, vowing never to wear expensive valuables outside again, especially when going drinking.
Chen was ultimately sentenced to one year in jail for his theft offences.