Man wearing socks on hands to steal housemate’s cash jailed

A French national who broke into a housemate’s room and stole cash while wearing socks on his hands was caught and jailed for four weeks earlier today (August 20).

Christophe Olivier Alexandre, 38, pleaded guilty to one charge of housebreaking by night in order to steal US$900 (S$1,248).

According to a CNA report, the victim and housemate of Alexandre, Raybin Matthew Vernon, noticed that his items had gone missing before, and so he placed a CCTV camera in his room.

While the victim was away on holiday, Alexandre unlocked Vernon’s room with the key and entered it. He used a piece of cloth to cover his hands and he touched various items and opened cupboard doors.

At one point, Alexandre took the socks off his feet and wore them over his hands.

Alexandre removed cash from a drawer under Vernon’s bed.

When Vernon received alerts from the CCTV camera he asked the other tenants to check if anyone was in his room.

Later in the night, another tenant knocked on Vernon’s door while Alexandre was still inside. Alexandre turned off the lights and hid in the toilet, but the tenant found him squatting in the corner of the toilet in darkness.

Alexandre said that he had been in Vernon’s room looking for a key to the mailbox.

Vernon lodged a police report when he returned to Singapore. Police found US$610 stuffed in toothpaste boxes in Alexandre’s room.

For housebreaking by night to commit theft, he could have been jailed between two and 14 years. /TISG