Domestic helper, 31, steals elderly employer's ATM card, withdraws S$9,400 left behind by late husband

A domestic helper from Myanmar stole her elderly employer's ATM card and made 15 transactions over a two-month period, withdrawing a total of S$9,400.

The money had been left behind by the 78-year-old woman's late husband, Shin Min Daily News reported.

San Thidar, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of theft on May 7, while another charge for embezzlement was taken into consideration by the judge.

She was sentenced to nine months' jail.

Repeated thefts

According to court documents seen by Mothership, the police received a report by the victim's daughter on Sep. 29, 2025, for a case of theft.

She had noticed a total of S$2,000, withdrawn over two transactions, missing from her mother's bank account on Sep. 26, 2025.

The transactions were made at Kembangan MRT Station on Sep. 16, court documents showed.

As Thidar had visited her sister's place in Kembangan on that day, the victim's daughter suspected she was the one who made the transactions.

On Sep. 26, 2025, the victim, Ong Hong Lin, also noticed multiple unexplained transactions from her account while updating her bank book.

Ong usually placed her ATM card inside a pink pouch and inside a red handbag, which would be left lying either in the living room or her own bedroom.

No one knew her ATM pin number except for Thidar, according to Ong, and she recalled possibly revealing it to the former over a casual conversation.

Thidar admitted to having taken the victim's ATM card from her wallet on multiple occasions and making cash withdrawals at various ATMs.

Charge sheets showed 15 transactions from Jul. 8, 2025 to Sep. 16, 2025, with amounts ranging from S$200 to S$1,000.

CCTV footage provided by the banks also confirmed Thidar had committed theft of S$9,400 in this time.

Thidar was arrested on Apr. 21, 2026.

Employer treated her like a daughter

Ong's daughter told Shin Min that her mother had treated Thidar like a daughter, giving her red packets and gifts during holidays.

At the time of the arrest, Thidar had worked in Singapore for seven years and for the family for five.

She had once cared for Ong and her late husband, but continued caring solely for Ong after her husband's passing in 2024.

The stolen money had been left to Ong by her husband, her daughter revealed.

She said that despite Thidar's betrayal, her mother still misses her maid, complaining that none of the domestic helpers she hired afterward were as good.

The family has also since stored away valuables in the house and installed CCTV cameras.