SINGAPORE: A Russian doctor was caught at Changi Airport on Sunday (Oct 4) for stealing two bottles of wine from DFS Spirits, Wines & Tobacco.
For his offence, Gromov Alexey, an urologist, was on Friday (Oct 9) ordered to pay a fine of S$1,500 by District Judge Ronald Gwee.
The two bottles of wine were worth S$73.60.
Alexey, 35, was caught when a security officer noticed Alexey’s wife pouring wine into a plastic cup outside the holding room for Gate C14 in Terminal 1. He had been alerted to the possible theft by staff of the duty-free shop.
Staff said they saw Alexey leave the store carrying a green basket containing two bottles of wine. The green basket, staff said, did not belong to DFS.
Staff knew the wine had not been paid for, as it was not sealed in a Security Temper Evident Bag (STEB), as all paid liquor would have been.
The security officer approached the couple and requested proof of purchase, but they could not produce any.
Alexey's wife has left Singapore, as there was no evidence of her involvement in or knowledge of the theft.
In court on Friday, Alexey handed a mitigation letter to the judge. Speaking through a Russian interpreter, the doctor urged the court to consider that he had “no (criminal) record in other countries”.
"I beg for your pardon”, he said.
Alexey could have faced a jail term of up to three years, or a fine, or both.
For his offence, Gromov Alexey, an urologist, was on Friday (Oct 9) ordered to pay a fine of S$1,500 by District Judge Ronald Gwee.
The two bottles of wine were worth S$73.60.
Alexey, 35, was caught when a security officer noticed Alexey’s wife pouring wine into a plastic cup outside the holding room for Gate C14 in Terminal 1. He had been alerted to the possible theft by staff of the duty-free shop.
Staff said they saw Alexey leave the store carrying a green basket containing two bottles of wine. The green basket, staff said, did not belong to DFS.
Staff knew the wine had not been paid for, as it was not sealed in a Security Temper Evident Bag (STEB), as all paid liquor would have been.
The security officer approached the couple and requested proof of purchase, but they could not produce any.
Alexey's wife has left Singapore, as there was no evidence of her involvement in or knowledge of the theft.
In court on Friday, Alexey handed a mitigation letter to the judge. Speaking through a Russian interpreter, the doctor urged the court to consider that he had “no (criminal) record in other countries”.
"I beg for your pardon”, he said.
Alexey could have faced a jail term of up to three years, or a fine, or both.
