by Elena Chong
A COLOMBIAN national and a young American woman were jailed on Wednesday for theft of a $15,000 diamond bracelet.
Rafael Alexander Gomez Bermundez, 33, was jailed for a total of 15 months after he admitted to stealing the bracelet from SK Jewellery at Bugis Junction Towers, and a $67,431 gold and diamond Rolex watch from Dickson Watch and Jewellery at Wisma Atria Shopping Centre.
The woman, Linda Tatiana Lopez, 21, was jailed for three months for stealing the diamond bracelet with Bermundez on March 26.
Bermundez, who acted alone in the Feb 27 theft, tried on two Rolex watches at the Orchard Road store. He returned one and hid the other under his sleeve without the sales executive's knowledge. He continued to make enquiries before leaving the store.
The court heard that he sold the watch in Thailand for US$5,000 (S$6,303.56) a few days later.
Police recovered the diamond bracelet from the couple's hotel room in Geylang Road when they were arrested on March 28.