The trio targeted multiple places of worship, stealing over $1,000 before being caught.
SINGAPORE – Three Chinese nationals have been sentenced to seven months in jail after they came to Singapore and stole over $1,000 from donation boxes at six places of worship.
On November 7, 2024, Zou Fangshou, 32, Qin Xiaonuo, 29, and Qin Chaoban, 38, were each given a seven-month sentence after pleading guilty to an amalgamated charge of theft-in-dwelling with common intention.
Before their trip to Singapore in September 2024, the men learned how to fish money from donation boxes by watching Douyin (Chinese TikTok) videos. They used a string to lower a piece of metal with sticky tape to retrieve money stuck inside the boxes.
Over two days, the trio targeted various religious institutions, including the Church of St Alphonsus (Novena Church), Pu Ti Buddhist Temple, Fo Guang Shan Temple, and several others. They took turns using their phones to shine light into the boxes and retrieved the cash.
Suspicious staff members at the targeted sites alerted the police after spotting the men. The suspects were traced through CCTV footage and arrested. They had stolen $1,479 in Singapore dollars and other currencies.
District Judge Christopher Goh emphasized that Singapore does not tolerate foreign criminals and warned that harsh penalties await those who engage in such activities.
No restitution has been made as of the latest update. The maximum punishment for their crime could have been 14 years in prison and a fine.
