Maid swapped employer's gold jewellery with fakes, stole $6,300 worth over three months

A maid was sentenced to four months and two weeks in jail on Monday (Aug 31) after stealing her employer's gold chain and bracelet worth at least $6,300. 

The woman, identified as 46-year-old Rustini from Indonesia, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and another count of deception, which was taken into consideration during sentencing, reported Shin Min Daily News. 

Charge sheets seen by AsiaOne state that Rustini was employed as a domestic helper at an HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio. 

When her employer, 41, was out or travelling abroad between January and April this year, Rustini allegedly entered his bedroom, opened locked drawers and stole the jewellery.

To avoid detection, she reportedly replaced the stolen items with counterfeits.

 Although her employer suspected in January this year that his gold bracelet had been swapped for a fake, he did not confront Rustini at the time, Shin Min reported.

The gold bracelet, worth at least $2,000, and gold chain, worth at least $4,300, were stolen on two separate occasions. 

On April 14, Rustini's employer reportedly discovered his gold chain had been replaced with a counterfeit and questioned her. When Rustini admitted to the theft, her employer lodged a police report.

Rustini reportedly told investigators that she had used the stolen gold bracelet as collateral to borrow $1,000 from a friend, who had already returned to Indonesia. She also pawned the gold chain and received $4,300 in cash. 

In mitigation, Rustini reportedly pleaded for leniency, saying she was the sole breadwinner for her family and had four school-going children to support, according to Shin Min.

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esther.lam@asiaone.com