A 26-year-old Chinese tourist has been sentenced to nine weeks' jail for stealing S$18,750 worth of luxury goods from Gucci stores at the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Paragon shopping malls.

According to Today, the 26-year-old woman, Huang Shiyuan, had targeted the Gucci stores in particular as she thought it was "easy to steal from Gucci".

Stole from Gucci thrice before getting caught

Huang carried out her shoplifting on three occasions in December 2018.

On the first instance in Dec. 16, two days after she had arrived in Singapore, Huang stole a S$4,500 beige Gucci cardigan with crystal motifs from the Gucci store in MBS.

The second instance was on Dec. 17, when Huang stole a black cardigan worth S$2,430 and a blue lace blouse valued at S$2,920 from a Gucci store in Paragon.

Huang returned to the MBS store two days later, and attempted to steal a white lace blouse worth S$4,400 and a pink cardigan worth S$4,500.

However, she was caught this time when the store manager recognised her and called the police.

Huang's modus operandi had consisted of going into the changing room to remove the price tag and putting the clothes into her bag.

Could actually pay for the clothes

Huang subsequently admitted that she could afford to pay for the clothes.

It was a point that District Judge Marvin Bay also remarked upon, pointing out that Huang had paid for clothes bought from other luxury outlets.

Bay said: "While it seems perplexing that she has paid for items in other luxury stores (there are purchases of S$870 at a Ferragamo one, and Louis Vuitton stores in excess of S$7,000, as well as S$325 from Coach), it might well be that she assessed the Gucci store to be less insulated against theft."

Huang pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, with another charge considered for sentencing.

Under the penal code, the maximum sentence for theft in dwelling is an imprisonment term of up to seven years and a fine.

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