South Korean turned to theft after losing life savings at casino

36 year old Choi Hee Soo’s first burglary was committed in a shipping company at Chinatown Point in May 2006. His haul then comprised $2,000 and a Rolex watch worth $10,830. Between last Oct 21 and Nov 1, he broke into other premises, netting property worth $68,117.

Choi re-entered Singapore illegally through the Tuas checkpoint on Oct 20 using a false passport along with his life savings of $20,000, which he had hoped to multiply by gambling at the casinos. When he lost all of it, he became desperate.

He took to doing what he had done before – break into office premises. He committed 37 burglaries and stole cash and property totalling about $97,500.

Yesterday, he was jailed for 41/2 years for housebreaking and theft. He was sentenced to another six weeks and three strokes of the cane for entering Singapore without a valid pass. Thirty-five other charges were taken into consideration.

He had also wanted to relocate his wife and three daughters to Malaysia with money he was hoping to win at the gaming tables.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

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