Apr 20, 2011 - Straits Times
Six men took $112k after tying up girl, woman and maid
By
Elena Chong & Jalelah Abu Baker
HOUSEWIFE Ong Siew Hong did not panic when she realised the 'National
Environment Agency (NEA) officers' she had let into her house last year
were robbers.
She even joked that she would lend them money and take it back when she had a need for it.
'I told them to take whatever they wanted, and just not to
hurt us,' the 43-year-old, who is married to a businessman, told The
Straits Times yesterday.
For his part in the offence, contractor Tay Chuan Bock, 49,
was sentenced to 31/2 years' jail and six strokes of the cane yesterday.
Together with five others, he had robbed Ms Ong of $112,792 after tying
up the housewife, her 10-year-old daughter and Filipino maid at her
Pavilion Rise house last September.
One of Tay's accomplices, 38-year-old Low Soon Kwee, who is
unemployed, pleaded guilty to another robbery and was sentenced to four
years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane yesterday.
Filipino maid Cleoferly Ucab Tangog, 35, said the men had
been carrying out fogging in the area for two days before they
approached her that afternoon, asking to be let in. She did not do so.
Ms Ong returned later and was approached by two men. They wore overalls
and masks, carried fogging equipment and even gave her a form to sign to
'check for mosquito breeding', she said. She let them in without
checking their identification cards.
