Indian-origin security guard jailed for pocketing wallet at condominium in Singapore

Singapore: An Indian-origin security guard at a condominium was sentenced to three weeks' jail on Wednesday for pocketing a wallet valued at SGD 1,800 and the SGD 500 in it.

A Murugaiya, a 56-year-old Singaporean, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal breach of trust by dishonest misappropriation, Channel News Asia reported on Thursday.

The court heard that the victim, a 46-year-old man, dropped his Louis Vuitton wallet and keys at the entrance of The Alcove Condominium, where he lived, on August 27 last year.

Minutes after the victim left, a passer-by chanced on the wallet and keys and picked them up. The passer-by immediately passed the wallet, which contained at least SGD 500, to Murugaiya, who was manning the security desk at the condominium.

However, Murugaiya kept the wallet and money and took them home with him.

The next day, the victim met with Murugaiya, his supervisor and told him about his lost wallet.

Murugaiya eventually admitted taking the wallet, and signed on a piece of paper along with his supervisor indicating that the wallet was with him.

The victim returned his keys on August 29, 2023, but received his wallet only a day later, with SGD 490 missing.

Only SGD 10 was left in the wallet, and the remaining sum was not recovered.

Murugaiya did not make any restitution, according to the Channel report.

The victim made a police report, and Murugaiya was arrested in December 2023 and remanded.

The prosecutor sought at least four weeks' jail, noting Murugaiya's lack of past convictions.

However, she said there was a 'high quality and degree of trust' placed in Murugaiya, who was a security officer tasked with ensuring the safety of the premises, property and of condo residents.

"As such, any resident of the condominium who returns a lost item to the accused would have a high degree of trust in the accused that the item would be safely returned to the rightful owner," said Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashley Poh.

She added that the wallet was returned only after the victim spoke with Murugaiya and his supervisor.

"The total value of the item misappropriated in the first place, before the accused was confronted, amounted to at least SGD 2,300 in value," the Channel quoted Poh as saying.

For criminal breach of trust by dishonest misappropriation, Murugaiya could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.