SINGAPORE - A maid stole cash, three Rolex watches and jewellery worth more than $64,000 in total from her employer.

She pawned the jewellery for some $18,000 and shipped two of the timepieces to her family in the Philippines.

Rogelyn Nermal Nemaria, 43, who is in remand, pleaded guilty on Wednesday (July 13) to stealing property under her employer's roof.

District Judge James Lee adjourned the case till Aug 17 to give Nemaria time to recover the watches from her family.

The court heard that Nemaria was hired by the daughter of the victim, Madam Ang Yien, 71. The maid lived with Madam Ang and her husband as she was looking after them.

On several occasions between May 2021 and March this year, she stole jewellery kept in Madam Ang's bag and a safe box at home.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Benedict Teong said: "Although the safe box had been locked, the accused had gained access... (by) using the safe box key which was normally kept in a small box on the victim's dressing table.

"The accused would return the safe box key each time after she used it in order to avoid detection."

Nemaria stole around 20 pieces of jewellery, such as gold rings, necklaces and bracelets, and pawned them for $17,840.

As the pawnshop imposed a limit on the monetary value of items that can be pawned by a single maid, she asked two of her friends - also maids - to help her to sell the items in exchange for money.

The DPP said the friends were not aware of the source of the jewellery.

Separately, between April and May this year, Nemaria stole three Rolex timepieces from Madam Ang's safe box. The total value of the watches is almost $45,000.

She packed two of the watches in a shoe stuffed with crumpled papers. It was sent to her family via an airfreight service provider in Lucky Plaza.

She pawned the third watch for $4,000 with the help of her friend, who believed her claim that it was a gift from her employer.

Nemaria also stole $1,760 in cash, which she remitted to her family.

Madam Ang later realised that the items and money were missing from her safe box, and made a police report on June 7 this year.

Nemaria was arrested on June 9. No restitution was made, said DPP Teong, who added that the pawned items were recovered from the pawnshop.

The DPP noted that her statement to the police, in which she claimed that the items could be retrieved, would be a valid mitigating factor.

Nemaria told the court through a translator that she promised her employers she would return the watches, but needed to contact her family.

She faces up to seven years in jail and a fine.