Chinese national, 41, breaks into houses in S’pore & stole S$105,750 worth of valuables, gets 3 years & 8 months’ jail

A 41-year-old male Chinese national was sentenced to three years and eight months’ jail after breaking into homes and stealing about S$105,750 worth of valuables in Singapore.

Huang Xiaozong pleaded guilty to two charges of housebreaking and was sentenced on Aug. 14.

Another trespassing charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.

Visit

In court documents seen by Mothership, Huang visited Singapore on Dec. 5, 2025, and stayed at a hotel in Little India.

This was his first visit to the country.

He “had thoughts of stealing things” as he wanted to earn some money.

Huang also “noticed that Singapore is very nice and rich”.

He decided to look for homes in wealthier parts of Singapore.

When no one appeared to be home, he would enter them and steal items.

Capella Suite

On Dec. 6, 2025, Huang went to Sentosa and walked around the island.

He then chanced upon the Capella Suite.

Huang noticed the lights were off, and it appeared that no one was inside.

He managed to gain entry to the suite by using the rear balcony door, a sliding door he forced open.

After entering, he searched the suite and found jewellery in the glass display cabinet in the living room and some other valuables in the master bedroom’s wardrobe.

Huang managed to steal items that had an estimated total value of S$58,000.

The items comprised one “Chanel” watch valued at about S$30,000, five rings valued at about S$25,000 and a gold necklace valued at S$3,000.

He then returned to his hotel in Little India.

On Dec. 8, 2025, at about 9:10am, the housekeeper of the suite noticed the theft when she discovered footprints on the floor, shifts in the sofa, and an empty glass cabinet.

She informed her supervisor of the situation, who in turn alerted the hotel’s management, which called the police.

Serangoon

On Dec. 7, 2025, Huang went to the Serangoon area after doing some research online.

Between 7pm and 8pm, he arrived at a home and noticed it was in total darkness, and it appeared as if no one was inside.

Huang climbed over a metal gate to enter the home.

After entering, he searched the home and found jewellery from the makeup table of one of the bedrooms.

Huang managed to steal items that had an estimated total value of S$47,750.

The items comprised two “Tiffany & Co” couple wedding rings valued at about S$25,000, one “Tiffany & Co” heart-shaped key pendant with diamonds, valued at about S$10,000, one pair of “Tiffany & Co” diamond earrings, valued at about S$5,000, one white gold necklace with diamonds, valued at about S$5,000, two silver bracelets of unknown value, three gold necklaces, valued at about S$800, one bracelet, yellow in colour, valued at about S$50, three pairs of earrings, yellow in colour, valued at about S$400, four rings, yellow in colour, valued at about S$1,500.

Huang then decided to go to another house in the Serangoon area and arrived at about 8pm.

He climbed over a metal gate to gain entry.

However, Huang was spotted by a domestic helper who was in the house, who asked him what he was doing there.

He responded in Mandarin, which the domestic helper did not understand.

Huang then climbed out of the house and fled the premises.

When the second victim returned home at around 8:40pm, she was alarmed to find her dressing table in a mess, and her wedding rings missing.

Her husband alerted the police to the situation at about 8:41pm.

She later discovered more items missing after performing a thorough check.

Arrest

After the theft, Huang returned to his hotel in Little India before changing hotels to one along Kampong Bahru Road on Dec. 8, 2025.

Huang was eventually traced to the hotel he had moved to and arrested on the same evening.

The stolen items were found in his possession and seized.

Huang has been in remand since.

Transnational

The prosecution sought three years and nine months’ jail to four years and one month’s jail.

They argued that Huang “specifically scouted residential houses which he believed

were empty for him to enter and steal items”.

They also noted that the offences were “transnational in nature” because Huang committed them one day after arriving in Singapore.

According to CNA, Huang’s lawyers said Huang’s offences were “amateurish”.

He pointed out that the losses were minimal as the stolen items were eventually recovered.

For house-breaking, Huang could have been jailed up to 10 years and fined.