Caught and fined: Thief who returned to the casino
By Khushwant Singh
A Malaysian tourist, who stole two $100 chips from another visitor at the Marina Bay Sands casino was caught only after she returned about a month later. -- ST PHOTO: BRYAN VAN DER BEEK
A MALAYSIAN tourist, who stole two $100 chips from another visitor at the Marina Bay Sands casino was caught only after she returned about a month later.
On Tuesday, Thng Lai Toh, 54, was fined $1,500 by a district court. She had pleaded guilty to stealing the $200 in chips from Ms Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thuy, 31, a visitor from Vietnam.
A district court heard that at 2.30pm on May 18 this year, Ms Nguyen was playing at the roulette table. Thng, who had blown whatever money she had brought with her, saw that the Vietnamese woman had placed five $100 chips at the side of the betting table.
The next time Ms Nguyen stood up and reached out to place her bet, the older woman also reached out and filched two of the chips placed at the side. Thng moved away immediately. She lost the loot at another table and left the casino.
Ms Nguyen, who noticed that two of her chips had gone missing, informed casino staff and closed-circuit television footage showed clearly that Thng was the culprit.
When she returned to the casino on June 13, security staff recognised her through a surveillance camera and she was detained and handed over to the police.
[email protected]
