SINGAPORE — A 37-year-old woman tricked an employee of a watch and jewellery shop into giving her eight Rolex watches, then pawned them off to pay for her personal expenses and debts.

She also used another man’s credit card to pay for her outstanding bill of S$123,900 at a nightclub.

On Monday (Sept 2), Alina Chan Shu Lin pleaded guilty to five counts of cheating. Another 11 similar charges will be taken into consideration for sentencing on Sept 9.

The court heard that a man, who was not identified, entrusted Chan with his MasterCard Premier credit card sometime last year for the sole purpose of buying luggage for him.

Instead, she went to Club Armani V6 Disco along Jalan Sultan, which she frequented, and presented the card to pay for her bill. 

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The transaction was successfully processed on Sept 13 last year. She has not made any restitution to the cardholder.

In July last year, she ordered eight Rolex watches from Emperor Watch and Jewellery in the Orchard Road area. She lied to an employee there that she was buying the watches for a third party, who was an existing customer of the store. It was not stated how she knew this.

Court documents showed that the luxury watches ranged in value from S$19,354 to S$112,025. In total, they were worth S$398,071.

Chan sold the watches at various pawn shops for S$245,500. They have since been recovered, but she has yet to repay the pawn shops.

Finally, on six occasions between June and August last year, she got her boss to hand over S$249,200 to her. 

She managed to do this while employed by Royal Insignia — a Singapore company that produces ceremonial items. In order to get her managing director to hand over the money, she lied that a customer required loans. She has not made restitution for this either.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugene Sng told the court that he is seeking a jail term of three years and nine months for Chan. 

For cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, she could be jailed up to 10 years, or fined, or both. For cheating, she could be jailed up to three years, or fined, or both.