Jailed 8 months for $25,000 jewellery theft

SINGAPORE - A maid was jailed for eight months on Monday for stealing more than $25,000 worth of jewellery from her employer.

Leonora Lagaban Sarmiento, 38, who faced 11 charges, pleaded guilty to three counts of jewellery theft totalling $12,500 from Madam Goh Lee Lee, 65, at her home near Sixth Avenue between Nov 26 last year and Jan 3 this year.

The Filipina entered the victim's daughter's bedroom between Dec 28 and 29 and stole 15 items from a jewellery box.

She pawned them for $5,300 at Moneymax Pawnshop in Commonwealth Avenue West and kept the proceeds.

Between Jan 2 and 3, she again stole from Madam Goh's daughter and pawned a stolen bangle for $3,500 at a shop in Lucky Plaza, Orchard Road.

Earlier between Nov 26 and 27, Sarmiento removed two bracelets from the daughter's jewellery box and pawned them for $3,700 at a shop in Holland Drive.

After redeeming the items, Madam Goh took the maid to Kampong Java Neighbourhood Police Centre and lodged a report on Jan 4.

Eight similar charges were taken into consideration.

Sarmiento could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined on each charge of theft as a servant.

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