SINGAPORE — An air-conditioner technician was sentenced to nine months and one week in jail on Thursday (March 18) for stealing several pairs of women’s undergarments and clothing from neighbours in a public housing block where he lived.

When Ng Weng Cheong was arrested, the authorities found 19 pairs of panties in his room. He would wear them and masturbate while fantasising about having sex with the person who wore the underwear.

In their efforts to catch him, the police had installed a pinhole camera outside one of the housing units but Ng removed and junked the camera. 

On Thursday, the 38-year-old Malaysian pleaded guilty to one charge each of theft, housebreaking to commit theft, and committing mischief. Two other similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

He was also ordered to pay compensation of S$95 to the police for the damaged camera.

The court heard that he began stealing clothing at the housing block in Bedok in April last year and continued doing so till he was nabbed in December.

On at least three occasions, he went to a unit at night. He stretched his hand through the opening of the unit’s main gate to steal bras, pants, 16 pieces of assorted female undergarments and a pair of panties.

The clothing, which had a total value of at least about S$50, belonged to three women aged between 26 and 31.

Aside from stealing women’s clothes, Ng also stole two pairs of men’s Levi’s jeans valued at S$100 each. The owner had left them hanging on a laundry rack along the common corridor outside his unit.

Ng covered the owner’s closed-circuit television camera with a towel before taking the jeans.

On Nov 4, the police installed a camera outside one of the units in a bid to catch the thief in the act.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Heershan Kaur said that about a month later, on Dec 2, Ng returned from work after midnight and “had an urge” to steal women’s undergarments.

He noticed the camera and hid his face under an umbrella that he had found along the common corridor. He then forcibly pulled out the camera and threw it away.

The camera was not recovered, but the authorities managed to recover footage of his actions from the digital video recorder box attached to the camera in the flat.

Ng was arrested at his flat — on the fourth storey of the block — on Dec 16. An investigation officer had identified him after reviewing video footage from several police cameras.

They discovered more than 50 pieces of clothing in his room, including 19 pairs of panties.

For mischief, he could have been jailed for up to two years or fined, or both.

Those convicted of theft can be jailed for up to three years or fined, or both, while those who commit housebreaking to steal things can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.