The Budget 2020 grocery voucher scheme, while it certainly had an honourable objective, had one fatal flaw.
It was a tangible thing and placed within the grasp of humans.
See, throughout history, humans have stolen all sorts of things you wouldn’t expect them to, including burgers.
So, even if you announce that you’re giving out vouchers to help those in need during a pandemic, some people will still steal them if given the opportunity.
One particularly prolific thief managed to steal around S$300 worth of grocery vouchers last year, and now, she has to pay the price.
58YO Pried Open Letterboxes in Punggol to Steal Grocery Vouchers
The 58-year-old woman began her thievery last October, at Block 206A Punggol Point.
She noticed that one of the letterboxes at the block wasn’t locked properly, and found an envelope with grocery vouchers when she looked inside.
In fact, there were 15 vouchers worth S$150.
None of us would look into a stranger’s letterbox, but if we did, we certainly wouldn’t take anything.
But of course, the woman took all 15 vouchers and left the scene.
According to Lianhe Wanbao, the woman had pried upon several letterboxes in the Punggol residential area which were not closed properly.
That same month, she stole another set of grocery vouchers from another family. In total, she stole S$300 worth of grocery vouchers.
Her offences only came to light when the victims realised they hadn’t received the grocery vouchers and checked their letterboxes, only to find that they were broken into.
They then reported the matter to the police.
Handed 8 Charges of Theft
On Tuesday (31 Aug), the woman was handed eight charges of theft, with the prosecution calling for imprisonment.
Those who commit theft can be punished with a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both.
In mitigation, the woman said she didn’t use a weapon, nor did she kill anyone.
Now that… that’s a solid defence.
Previous Offences
This defence may not hold water, though, given that she has committed the same offence in the past.
Back in 2019, the woman allegedly stole two Bluetooth headsets from Clementi Mall, amounting to at least S$160.
She’s also accused of stealing food from a Japanese supermarket at City Square Mall in June 2020.
Reader: Well, it was just food, so I’m sure it wasn’t that much mone-
The food stolen was worth around S$200.
Reader: Okay I stand corrected
At the time, employees at the Japanese supermarket had reported her to the police after looking through CCTV footage.
The woman may have gotten away with her crimes initially, but now, it seems like her thieving days are numbered.
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Featured Image: helloitsme_sr/shutterstock.com
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