Young mother who brought toddlers to supermarket to steal milk powder gets fine
A few days after filching two tins of milk by hiding them in her children's stroller, the 26-year-old woman went to another supermarket with her husband where they stole 12 more tins using a self-checkout kiosk.
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: A young mother who took her two toddlers to a supermarket to steal milk powder using their stroller was fined S$3,500 (US$2,600) by a court on Thursday (Jun 13).
Lorraine Chan Chu Yi, a 26-year-old Singaporean, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, with a third charge taken into consideration.
The court heard that Chan took her children, aged two and three at the time, along with her to a Sheng Siong supermarket in Bukit Batok on Jun 4 last year.
She stashed two cans of Enfamil milk powder worth S$270.70 in their stroller and left without paying.
Three days later, Chan headed to another supermarket – the Giant hypermarket at the IMM Building – with her husband, 26-year-old Singaporean Lim Soon Leong.
Intending to steal more milk powder, the couple took three storage boxes that were at the supermarket and went to the milk powder section.
They then took 12 cans of Enfamil milk powder worth S$1,565.40 and placed them in the three boxes before proceeding to pick up other groceries.
They then went to a self-service payment kiosk in the hypermarket where they scanned and paid for the other items.
However, they did not pay for the milk powder, which they kept concealed in the boxes.
They left the supermarket undetected and Lim sold all 12 tins to a buyer on Carousell for S$1,170.
The thefts were discovered during stock checks and police reports were made. The milk powder was not recovered, but Chan made full restitution.
Lim was last month sentenced to 11 months' jail for the milk powder theft as well as other offences including cheating.
The prosecution sought a non-jail sentence for Chan.
HUSBAND WAS MASTERMIND: DEFENCE
Chan was represented by Ms Victoria Tay from the Public Defender's Office, who sought a fine for her client.
Ms Tay noted that Chan's husband was the mastermind who planned the thefts, with Chan agreeing.
The lawyer added that Chan had made full restitution despite her financial difficulties.
The offences were committed "due to financial desperation" Chan found herself in, and not out of greed, said Ms Tay.
"Safe to say, she has reflected on the entire procedure. She only wishes for a fair sentence so that she can return to her two young children at home," said the lawyer.
Chan was able to pay her fine in full.
