Maid threw stolen $10k downstairs for her friend to send to Indonesia, gets jail

When domestic helper Kiswanti was tasked with assisting her 92-year-old wheelchair-bound employer to withdraw money, she seized the opportunity to take some for herself.

And while her former employer was in the hospital, Kiswanti stole their ATM card and withdrew a total of $11,700 in just four months, reported Shin Min Daily News. 

Consequently, the 47-year-old was sentenced to six months in prison on Friday (March 15). She had been charged with theft and criminal breach of trust. 

According to investigations, Kiswanti had been working at her former employer's house since 2018 but was mainly responsible for cleaning and cooking at the time. 

It was not until Nov 18, 2022, when the former employer began to use a wheelchair, that he asked the helper to aid him in withdrawing money.

Typically, the former employer would be pushed by the maid to an ATM near Bedok Reservoir Road, where he would specify the desired bank account for withdrawal, handing her the ATM card and password.

Between Nov 18, 2022 to March 29, 2023, she aided him at least 25 times in withdrawing money. Each time, she would push his wheelchair farther and farther away from the ATM machine before going back to steal more money from his account.

In addition, she also took advantage of his two hospitalisations to swipe his ATM card from his drawer and withdraw money.

Throwing money downstairs

The maid would also put most of the money that she stole in a plastic bag, throw it down from the kitchen window, and have her friend Mi Min send it back to her hometown, reported the Chinese daily. 

Mi Min would follow her instructions, take a snapshot of the remittance receipt and send the photo to her for verification.

She claimed that she did not have Mi Min's contact information and that she had returned to Indonesia.

Kiswanti's actions were later discovered by her former employer's son-in-law. When questioned, she admitted to her crime and was arrested by the police.

She returned about $1,090 to the family. About $660 was also seized from her.

When in custody, she pleaded for mercy via a video call saying that she had not returned to Indonesia for many years and that she had not been able to go back to visit her parents when they passed away.

She added that she knew she was wrong, apologised to her old employer and begged for leniency.

ALSO READ: Maid jailed for stealing valuables worth $10,000 from previous employer after returning to work in Singapore

aishahm@asiaone.com