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Man gets 4 years and 9 months’ jail, caning for robbing family of more than S$110k

SINGAPORE — Masquerading as National Environment Agency (NEA) officers fogging the estate, a 42-year-old man and his gang of four accomplices robbed a family of more than S$110,000, then fled Singapore by hiding in a suitcase.

SINGAPORE — Masquerading as National Environment Agency (NEA) officers fogging the estate, a 42-year-old man and his gang of four accomplices robbed a family of more than S$110,000, then fled Singapore by hiding in a suitcase.

After six years on the run, Khoo Wei Chyi was arrested in Batam and repatriated here, where he was sentenced on Tuesday (Nov 7) to four years and nine months in jail, and six strokes of the cane for robbery and leaving the country illegally.

The gang targeted the family after two of them heard that the patriach was a 4D lottery boss who “kept a lot of money in various safes” at their landed property in Bukit Batok.

On the afternoon of Sept 22, 2010, they posed as NEA officers, donning gloves, surgical masks and fogging machines as they approached Madam Ong Siew Hong asking to check her property for mosquitoes.

When she opened her gate and saw all five of the robbers entering, the 49-year-old sensed that something was off and said her husband was in the house in a bid to scare them off. But they were undeterred and continued their ruse by saying they needed to check her garden on the fourth floor.

Inside, one of the robbers threatened her at knifepoint to cooperate, saying they “just wanted money”. After she revealed where the safe was, they tied her up with cable ties and sealed her mouth with duct tape. The gang, all of whom were unemployed then, did the same to Mdm Ong’s 9-year-old daughter and maid, who were at home too.

The gang forced open a safe in the master bedroom and took two bundles of Singapore currency and a Rolex watch. They took several more bundles of Malaysian and Australian notes from another safe. Bank cards and drivers’ licences were also taken.

They warned Mdm Ong that she could only call the cops after an hour to give them enough time to leave Singapore before fleeing.

Of the S$112,791.94 loot Khoo pocketed S$18,000, which he spent on gambling and repaying debts.

The gang was subsequently arrested and dealt with but Khoo — ahead of a court hearing — fled the country in July 2011, Deputy Public Prosecutor Amanda Sun told the court.

Khoo paid a certain Ah Wen S$5,000 to help him leave Singapore for Batam by hiding in a luggage. He was caught on Jan 4 this year, and repatriated on April 18.

On Tuesday, DPP Sun urged the court to impose a jail sentence of at least four years and six months, with six strokes of the cane. Khoo, who had been thrown behind bars for robbery in 1996, was “not sufficiently deterred by (the punishment for) his past offences”, she noted.

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