A cargo handler with SATS working at Changi Airport has been given 18 weeks of jail for stealing S$3,580 worth of Bird Nest which was in transit in Singapore and bound for Taipei.
Pang Lishuai, 28, was also slapped with a fined of S$2,000.
He pleaded guilty in court today for a charge each of breaching regulations controlling the movement into a protected area, as well as committing an act of theft by a clerk or servant of property in possession of a master.
Another charge was also taken into consideration for his involvement in stealing a forklift last year.
Details of his crime
The Bird Nest had arrived into Singapore from Jakarta on 19 November and was stored inside a cargo cage at SATS Airfreight Terminal 5.
It was bound for Taipei on the following day at 8am.
Pang entered the airfreight terminal at 3am on 20 November even though he was not on duty at that time.
Thereafter, he changed into this work uniform and then headed over to the cargo sorting area without the cargo hub operations manager’s consent.
He then used a forklift to steal the Bird Nest.
He threw his loots to the other side of the ramp before he changed out of his uniform, collected it from the grass patch and headed home.
A police report was then lodged at 6am after the discovery of a missing shipment of Bird Nest.
Prosecutor findings
The prosecutor found that Pang had stolen the cargo box because he knew that there was something valuable inside, and Pang also sold all the loots to a woman for $5,000.
The bird nest was also never recovered and Pang did not make any restitution for the stolen loots.
Pang then asked the court through an interpreter for a lighter sentence, claiming that he has two young children and elderly parents to support.
He also mentioned that he is a divorcee and his children had no love from their mother so he hopes that he can go back to China soon.
Penalties
For violating the regulations for entry into a protected area, Pang could have been given a jail term of up to 2 years, receive a fine of up to $20,000 or both.
For his act of theft as a clerk or servant of property, Pang could have received a jail term of up to seven years and fined for his actions.
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