Michael Raj's crime spree started when he stole his mother’s jewellery between May and June 2021. - ST
SINGAPORE: A taxi driver with financial problems stole three Rolex watches worth more than S$200,000 in total from three sleeping passengers on separate occasions, and sold the timepieces.
Michael Raj, 48, also stole 13 sets of jewellery worth nearly $43,400 in total from his 70-year-old mother.
On July 30, he was sentenced to one year and five months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to four theft charges.
His crime spree started when he stole his mother’s jewellery between May and June 2021.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Shi Yun told the court: “This was not a case of a careless victim who left her valuables lying around in the open.
“The victim’s (valuables) were locked in a drawer in a cupboard and (its) key was kept in another drawer in the same cupboard.”
After that, Michael pawned the valuables at various pawnshops without his mother’s consent and paid his debts.
On July 5, 2021, his mother discovered that several pieces of her jewellery were missing.
She confronted him two days later and then reported the matter to the police.
Michael has since made partial restitution of around $3,000 to her.
On Sept 2, 2022, he was driving a taxi and picked up a heavily intoxicated 33-year-old man near Orchard Towers shopping mall at around 5am.
The passenger was asleep when they reached the man’s stated destination.
Michael then removed the man’s Rolex watch worth $45,000 from his wrist.
The following month, he stole a second Rolex watch, worth nearly $67,300, from a 44-year-old male passenger, who had also fallen asleep in his taxi.
These two men alerted the police when they found their valuables missing.
Their watches were not recovered and Michael has made no restitution to the two victims, the court heard.
On June 15, 2023, Michael stole a third Rolex watch, worth $88,000, from a 30-year-old man who had boarded the offender’s taxi before nodding off.
The watch has since been recovered and returned to the victim after he made a police report.
On July 30, defence lawyer Wee Hong Shern urged the court to sentence Michael to a year and three months’ jail.
Wee added: “He sincerely wishes to turn over a new leaf. He will serve his sentence and thereafter commit himself to work and to making up for lost time with his wife and daughter.” - The Straits Times/ANN
