SINGAPORE: An Indonesian maid was sentenced to three weeks' jail on Friday (Mar 6) for stealing S$800 worth of red packets from three family members during the recent Chinese New Year period.

Siti Aisyah Riyadi Putri, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, with a third charge taken into consideration.



The court heard that she began work for her employer in March last year and was cleaning the house at The Centris condominium during the Chinese New Year period this year when she decided to steal the red packets.

She stole them because she needed money for her father, who was hospitalised and needed surgery, according to court documents.

Siti stole two red packets worth S$300 from her employer's 18-year-old son and red packets worth S$300 from another son, aged 24.

A third charge involving theft of S$200 in red packets from a female family member was taken into consideration.



The two sons had each received red packets from their mother and grandparents on Jan 25 this year, the first day of Chinese New Year.

Both of them kept their red packets in unlocked cabinets in their respective bedrooms.

On Feb 10, the younger son was counting red packets in his bedroom when he discovered that two packets containing S$300 was missing.

He told his mother, and his older brother was instructed to check his red packets as well. His older brother also found some of his red packets missing.

Their mother suspected that Siti was linked to the missing red packets and confronted her, but Siti denied knowing anything about them.

When the employer asked to check Siti's Western Union remittance receipt, she found that her maid had remitted more money than usual back to her hometown.

Siti claimed her former employer had given her some red packet money, but when her former boss was consulted, it turned out to be untrue. A police report was made.

After her arrest, Siti admitted to the offences and revealed her father needed money for surgery. The money was not recovered.



Siti told the court through an interpreter that she was very sorry for the offences and pleaded for leniency.

For each count of theft, she could have been jailed up to seven years and fined.