Doctor fined S$1,500 for stealing two bottles of wine

SINGAPORE — A doctor was fined S$1,500 today (Oct 9) for stealing two bottles of wine from the duty-free store in Changi Airport.

Gromov Alexey, 35, filched a bottle of Cloudy Bay and a bottle of Oyster Bay from DFS Spirits, Wines and Tobacco in Terminal 1, before he and his wife were due to leave Singapore on Oct 4. The wines cost over S$70 altogether.

The Russian national, who is a urologist, was spotted entering the shop at around 7.40pm that day carrying a green basket that did not belong to DFS. An employee noticed Alexey leaving the store about five minutes later with two bottles of wine in that basket.

She knew the bottles of wine were not paid for as they were not bagged in a Security Temper Evident Bag that all paid liquors would have to be sealed in. She tried to follow Alexey but lost sight of him near a café.

At about 8pm that day, Alexey approached a part-time service staff at the café to help him safekeep a black plastic bag containing two bottles of wine and two plastic cups. Alexey returned about 15 to 20 minutes later to claim the items.

A DFS security officer and the shop employee later found Alexey and his wife outside the holding room for Gate C14. The security officer noticed Alexey’s wife pouring wine into a plastic cup and approached them to request for a proof of purchase. But the couple could not produce any.

The court heard yesterday that Alexey’s wife has left the country as there was no evidence to show that she was involved in or had knowledge of the theft.

Speaking in court through a Russian translator, Alexey said: “I beg for your pardon and I have no previous records in any countries.”

For theft, Alexey could have been fined and/or jailed up to three years.