Maid found guilty of stealing from employer in Singapore!

Yet another case of a maid stealing from her employer in Singapore, has surfaced. According to The Straits Times, Indonesian maid Yati Nurmala Karjo Jumhandi, 34, was on Monday (12 Dec) sentenced to 5 months of jail for stealing about $24,000 from her employer.

She has only admitted to three charges of theft of about $12,500, between August and November, at her employer's Kingsmead Road residence.

The case

Apparently, Yati was first tempted to steal in August, when she discovered that a metal cabinet was left unlocked, in her employer Mr Nallatamby Kunaratnam's room. She ended up stealing $2,500 that day, remitting $1,500 to Indonesia and spending the rest on top-up cards, a watch and clothing.

This act of hers probably went unnoticed, for she was encouraged to steal yet again the following month, when she chanced upon the unlocked cabinet. This time she stole $4,000, remitted $2,250 to Indonesia, and blew up the rest of the money on a mobile phone, a tablet, a watch and more clothing.

Her final act of theft happened on Nov 6; she ended up pilfering $1,500, US$3,000 and 105 pounds, a total of $5,966, from her employer. Again, part of it was remitted back to Indonesia and the remaining was spent on personal needs.

Reported to police

Mr Kunaratnam's son reported the theft to the police on Nov 26. Police have since been able to recover the personal belongings Yati had bought with the stolen money, but not the amount that was remitted to Indonesia.

How to "maid-proof" your money and valuables

A number of cases of maids stealing from their employers have been surfacing recently in Singapore. We can't help but wonder if a simple act of keeping the cabinet locked would have prevented all the damage in this case. Here are some tips that we can follow as a routine, to better protect our money and valuables:

• Lock your money and valuables in a safe : Keep all your money and valuables, including your jewellery, locked up in a safe.
• Don't leave cash around : Do not tempt your maid by leaving cash and coins carelessly around the house.
• CCTV camera helps : If you really want eyes on the house when you are not around, get CCTV cameras installed in vulnerable areas. Doctor Anay has this to say, "This is how a friend of mine keeps her maid in check. There is a CCTV, but she lets her maid in on the footage once in a while. Mostly for good, for pointing out what a great job she did with the kitchen maybe, but that way, the maid knows that she is being watched, without feeling threatened."
• Keep your bedroom locked : Before going out to work, you might want to lock up your bedroom for added safety.
• Keep your money matters private : Even if your maid is more like family to you, money matters should always be kept private. So, never disclose how much money you have in your bank account. Also refrain from checking account details in front of your maid, be it online transactions or withdrawing cash from an ATM. And, try not to sign cheques in front of her, she might just be watching you closely.

Also READ: Case of maid stealing from her employer in Singapore