Jul 1, 2010
Casino chip thief jailed
<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent
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AN UNEMPLOYED man who stole a woman's $400 gaming chip at the Resorts World Sentosa casino was jailed for 12 weeks on Thursday. Khoo Chin Poo, 39, admitted to stealing from Ms Tang Yuan, 42, at a baccarat table on April 25. He also admitted trying to steal cash from a bag belonging to cabby Cheng Kiat Liang, 55, at Yio Chu Kang stadium on March 26 and was given a concurrent four weeks' jail.
A district court heard that Ms Tang had placed two bets of $100 chips in the baccarat game and won. When the winning bet went unclaimed, Khoo took the opportunity to claim the winnings of four $100 cash chips. He then gambled away $375 in a roulette game. When he wanted to cash out the remaining $25, he was detained by a security officer. Khoo, who has a gaming conviction, could have ben jailed for up to three years and jailed for theft.