SINGAPORE – An Indonesian maid who had stolen more than $42,000 worth of cash and valuables from her employer later told the unsuspecting woman that she wanted to return to her home country for a short visit.

While Alpiah, 33, was away in Batam, her boss found out that the maid had expressed her intention of not returning to Singapore to resume working here.

The helper had also planned to fly from Batam to Jakarta.

Feeling suspicious because of what she had learnt, the 61-year-old retiree checked her own belongings and alerted the police after she found some of her valuables missing.

Alpiah, who goes by only one name, was sentenced to 20 months’ jail on Friday after she pleaded guilty to three theft charges.

State Prosecuting Officer (SPO) Ghopinath Kalimuthu told the court that Alpiah started working for the retiree in January 2022.

Some time on or before Dec 11, 2022, the helper stole two gold bracelets and a gold necklace worth $5,200 in all.

In March, she stole nearly $37,000 worth of cash and valuables, including a Chanel handbag and several pieces of jewellery.

She pawned some of the valuables and remitted a portion of her ill-gotten gains to her family in Indonesia. She also used some of the money for personal expenses.

Her unsuspecting employer later allowed her to return to Indonesia to be with her family for a short visit, and the maid left on April 5.

SPO Ghopinath said that Alpiah was supposed to return to Singapore five days later to resume work.

But on April 8, she called her employer from Batam to say that her mother was ill and that she was unsure when she would return to Singapore.

The employer checked with the maid’s employment agency in Singapore and later found out that Alpiah had expressed her intention of not returning to Singapore to work.

Alpiah had also sought help from a maid agency in Batam to buy an air ticket for her to return to Jakarta.

The employer alerted the police on April 8 after finding some of her valuables missing.

Court documents did not disclose why Alpiah decided to return to Singapore, but the police arrested her at Changi Airport on May 4.

A bracelet and a ring worth $18,000 in total were recovered from her. The authorities also recovered a bracelet and a gold chain from a pawnshop. Alpiah has made no restitution.

Her case was not the first one this week involving a maid who was sent to jail for theft.

Siti Nuryanti, 41, who had helped to take care of a 94-year-old man, stole more than $160,000 from him.

She was sentenced to two years and four months’ jail on Thursday after pleading guilty to stealing $48,400.

Siti had used the man’s bank card to make 50 withdrawals from automated teller machines between January and April.

Two other charges relating to the remaining amount were taken into consideration during sentencing.