Serial lingerie thief found unsuitable for mandatory treatment order
A serial lingerie thief has been found to be unsuitable for a mandatory treatment order (MTO), a district court heard yesterday. This means he may end up behind bars.
Lee Chee Kin was out on bail on April 15 amid the coronavirus outbreak when he climbed the fence of a landed property to steal women's undergarments.
The Singaporean had trespassed into the same property on five earlier occasions, between November 2018 and May last year, stealing nearly 30 pieces of undergarments worth at least $160 in all.
The 39-year-old had been stealing lingerie for sexual gratification since 2018, trespassing into other properties to commit similar acts of crime.
The locations of the affected homes were redacted from court documents. In all, he admitted to entering different premises on at least 30 occasions.
After a spree which saw him enter at least three properties, Lee was caught on July 12 last year.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kwang Jia Min said: "He would select bras and panties to steal based on their appearance... he would climb over the back gate of the target unit and enter the (laundry or backyard areas) where bras and panties were hanging and steal them.
"He would then leave the premises the way he entered."
While out on bail following his arrest last year, Lee left his home around midnight on April 15, during the circuit breaker period, to return to the home of one of his victims.
An occupant alerted the police and Lee was subsequently arrested.
Last month, he pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including criminal trespass, theft and an offence under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act.
He was then examined to be assessed if he was suitable for an MTO, with which offenders receive treatment for their mental condition in lieu of jail time. Details of his mental condition were not mentioned in court.
UNSUITABLE
Yesterday, the court heard that he was found to be unsuitable.
In an unrelated case, Lee also landed in trouble for using another man's debit card which he had found at Ang Mo Kio MRT station.
He used it to buy nearly $91 worth of items between May 23 and 25 last year by using the payWave function.
He has since made full restitution to the victim, who made a police report on May 28 last year.
Lee is expected to be sentenced on June 8.
For each criminal trespass charge, he can be jailed for up to three months and fined up to $500.
For each count of theft, an offender can be jailed for up to three years and fined.
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