After learning on social media how to steal from donation boxes, three Chinese nationals came to Singapore to put their newfound skill into practice.
In a two-day spree before they were caught, they targeted six places of worship across the island and fished over $1,000 from donation boxes.
On Thursday (Nov 2), Zou Fangshou, 32, Qin Xiaonuo, 29, and Qin Chaoban, 38, were each sentenced to seven months' jail.
They pleaded guilty to one amalgamated charge each of theft-in-dwelling with common intention.
Back in their own country, the three men had learnt how to get money out of a donation box by watching clips on video-hosting platform Douyin.
The method involved using string to lower a piece of metal with sticky tape into the box to fish the money out.
On Sept 6, the trio flew into Singapore. They bought pieces of metal, string and tape from shops near their hotel.
The two following days, the three men targeted the Church of St Alphonsus, also known as Novena Church, in Thomson Road, the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Upper Serangoon Road, the Pu Ti Buddhist Temple in Punggol Road, the Fo Guang Shan Temple in Punggol Place, the Church of the Transfiguration in Punggol Central, and BW Monastery in Woodlands Drive.
The three men took turns to fish money from the donation boxes at the six sites while keeping a lookout.
[[nid:645900]]
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jocelyn Teo said on Thursday that, in each site, one of the three men would use his phone to shine a light into the donation box, lower the metal with the sticky tape using the string, and retrieve the money stuck to it.
The prosecutor added that staff at the sites noticed the three men suspiciously loitering, and reported them to the police.
Staff and volunteers also widely shared the pictures of the three men on WhatsApp as a warning to other sites that could be targeted.
At the Church of the Transfiguration, Zou realised he was being watched. Leaving the church, he threw the incriminating items into the nearby river.
The police traced the three men to their hotel using CCTV footage and arrested them.
They admitted to taking $1,479 and cash in various other currencies, including US, Canadian and Hong Kong dollars.
No restitution had been made so far, said DPP Teo.
She added: "The sentence imposed in the present case must send an unstinting message to both the accused persons and other foreigners that Singapore will not tolerate foreigners entering Singapore to commit crimes, and those who do so will be met with harsh penal consequences."
In mitigation, the three men told the court that they had elderly parents and young children.
District Judge Christopher Goh said the court would not take into consideration financial problems at home during sentencing.
For the charge of amalgamated theft-in-dwelling with common intention, each man could have been jailed for up to 14 years and fined.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.