SINGAPORE: Three Chinese nationals who travelled to Singapore to break into houses and steal expensive items after they saw multiple videos on social media about wealthy Singaporeans were sentenced to jail on Thursday (Apr 30).
The three men, Yang Chao, Zhou Qifa and He Jiao, conspired to target vulnerable properties in Singapore, break into the houses, steal valuables and leave the country with them.
Both Yang, 42, and He, 38, were sentenced to five years and three months in prison, while Zhou, 37, was sentenced to five years and five months in prison.
They were part of a larger group of men who travelled to Singapore by land from Malaysia multiple times to try breaking into homes to steal valuable items.
A fourth man, Zhou Yinggui, 36, is charged with similar offences, while another two, Hu Wen and Zhou Ji, remain at large.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Benedict Teong sought a sentence of five years and three months to five years and 10 months in prison for all three men, arguing for general deterrence.
They took steps to ensure that their actions would be difficult to detect and targeted vulnerable houses in locations with fewer passersby or with no CCTVs, he added.
The prosecution also highlighted the transnational element of the case, arguing that the men saw Singapore as a “venue for easy pickings”. They called for District Judge Terence Tay to send a significant signal to deter others from committing the same crimes.
While only Yang was involved in a successful break-in, Zhou and He were involved in a second attempt to break into houses, Mr Teong noted.
In mitigation, Yang’s lawyer Wilson Foo of Folich LLC said his client was very remorseful and sorry to the victim.
Yang intended to make restitution but did not have the money to compensate the victim. While in remand, he made a request to call his employer in China to pay the victim from his previous remuneration, but his request was denied because he was not allowed overseas calls, his lawyer said.
Describing Yang as a “simple-minded construction worker”, Mr Foo claimed his client was not the mastermind of the crimes. He also highlighted that Yang’s mother remains very ill, that his daughter may have to withdraw from university because of their family’s financial difficulties since his wife cannot work because she looks after their three children.
Zhou’s lawyer, Ms Diana Foo of Legal Eagles, said her client hoped to get the lightest sentence possible as he is extremely remorseful.
Zhou was “naive and simpleminded” to have been roped into the syndicate to commit these offences, she added.
His elderly mother, who lives alone, is very sick, said Ms Foo. “He hopes that he will have the opportunity to see her again.”
He, who represented himself, said he had to support his mother and hoped that the judge would be lenient in imposing the lightest possible sentence.
In sentencing the three men, Judge Tay noted that Singapore’s residents are accustomed to law and order and enjoy a high degree of trust.
