Over 300 pieces of jewellery worth $250k missing from company; staff member arrested in Malaysia

SINGAPORE - A 29-year-old Malaysian was arrested on Wednesday (June 5) after a jewellery company found more than 300 pieces of jewellery missing from two of its outlets.

The police said on Friday that they first received reports about the missing jewellery, which was worth more than $250,000, in February 2016.

Through ground enquiries, officers from Clementi Police Division were able to establish the identity of a suspect, who turned out to be a staff member of the jewellery company.

However, further investigations revealed that the suspect had fled from Singapore to Malaysia before the police report was lodged.

He was arrested in Malaysia on Wednesday with assistance from the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) and brought back to Singapore on Friday.

The man will be charged on Saturday with the offence of criminal breach of trust as a servant.

If found guilty, he may be jailed for up to 15 years and fined.

In a statement on Friday, Commander of Clementi Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Jarrod Pereira thanked the RMP for their strong support.

He said: "The Singapore Police Force will spare no efforts to hunt down criminals who commit serious crimes in Singapore and flee our borders thereafter. We will work with our foreign law enforcement partners to bring these fugitives to justice."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.