M’sian man, 45, steals Rolexes, jewellery & phones from drunk men asleep in S’pore, gets 1 year jail

A Malaysian man has been jailed for one year for multiple instances of theft.

His modus operandi was to steal from drunk persons on the street who were unconscious.

According to Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min), Chen Baosheng (transliteration), 45, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft, with four other similar charges being taken into consideration during sentencing.

The first instance occurred around 1:46 am on Jun. 6, when he spotted a 44-year-old man with a Rolex watch around Foch Road.

The man had been drinking with friends at Aperia Mall and later went to have supper nearby. He then sat at a bus stop to wait for a taxi, but fell asleep drunk.

Chen noticed the man and, after confirming that no one was around, stole the Rolex watch worth approximately S$11,000.

When the man awoke to find his watch missing, he made a police report.

The police subsequently identified Chen through CCTV footage from nearby buildings and arrested him on Jun. 27.

However, they found that he had brought the watch back to Malaysia to pawn for cash.

He was released on bail.

Did not stop

On the morning of July 12, while out on bail, he saw a 32-year-old man drunk and asleep on a bench and stole his gold necklace and pendant worth about S$6,230.

Two weeks later, on July 29, he found an intoxicated 48-year-old man passed out outside a bar along Serangoon Road.

He stole his S$1,500 iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The man returned to the bar that evening to check the CCTV footage and made a police report, which led to Chen's second arrest on Aug. 28.

The court heard that Chen was also responsible for four other cases of theft between Jun. 21 and Aug. 15.

His loot included a Hermes bracelet, a mobile phone, and cash.

He reportedly also tried to steal yet another Rolex worth about S$19,000.

Sole breadwinner

Chen's lawyer argued that his client had pleaded guilty early on and cooperated fully with police investigations.

He stressed that Chen did not use violence, had no accomplices, and that the crimes were not premeditated. Instead, he acted on the spur of the moment each time.

Despite this, he added that Chen had no intention of downplaying his crimes.

It was also revealed that Chen used to run a hawker business in Johor Bahru, but is currently unemployed.

He is the sole breadwinner of his family, which includes his wife, his three children, and his mother.

Apologised

Five of the seven victims appeared in court, attempting to recover their stolen valuables or receive compensation.

However, as Chen was unable to compensate them, the judge said their losses would be taken into consideration during sentencing.

Chen apologised several times in court and even bowed to the victims, reported Shin Min.

The man Chen stole the Rolex from told Shin Min that the watch carried great sentimental value for him as well.

He called Chen "greedy" and pointed out that he had continued to steal even while on bail, but said that he and some of the victims could even plead for leniency on his behalf if he returned the items to them.

A civil suit will be his next course of action, he said, but he is worried that Chen does not have assets in Malaysia.

He vowed never to wear valuables out of the house again, especially when drinking.