2 men accused of breaking into Bukit Timah home, stealing items worth $684k return to scene of crime
2 men accused of breaking into Bukit Timah home, stealing items worth $684k return to scene of crime
SINGAPORE – Three foreigners, who were charged with breaking into a house in Dunearn Close and stealing jewellery, luxury watches and cash with a total value of about $684,800, were brought out of remand for investigations on May 14.
Mexican national Hector Danial Garcia Iglesias, 51, and Mexican-Colombian national Mateo Andres Garces Murillo, 48, were taken to the landed home in Bukit Timah at about 1.45pm.
Hector was the first to step out of the police van, dressed in a white polo tee and blue shorts, with shackles around his hands and feet.
Wearing a blue surgical mask, he spoke with police officers outside the unit for a few minutes, with assistance from a Spanish interpreter.
He was then escorted into the house, where he remained for about 15 minutes.
Once he returned to the van, it was Mateo's turn to be taken through the same procedure.
While they were outside the unit, both men pointed in the direction of a nearby hill while being questioned by a police officer.
They were whisked away in the police van at about 2.30pm.
Meanwhile, Spanish-Colombian national Hernando Giraldo Franco, 60, was brought to the alleged location where a car related to the case had previously been.
Hector, Mateo and Hernando, who are suspected of involvement in other cases of housebreaking in the vicinity, were charged on May 12 with one count of housebreaking each for the incident that occurred in Dunearn Close.
According to court documents, they broke into the landed home at 9.55pm on May 9 by forcing open a sliding window and allegedly stole jewellery worth about $421,300.
Their loot included seven luxury watches, including a Cartier watch valued at about $80,000, as well as local and foreign currencies, totalling about $11,500.
In a statement on May 11, the police said they suspect the three men are involved in two other housebreaking and theft incidents in the Bukit Timah area.
One of them took place in Cluny Park and was reported to the police on May 9 at about 11pm, while the other happened in Eng Neo Avenue and was reported at around 10pm on May 10.
After establishing their identities through ground inquiries and CCTV and police camera footage, officers arrested Hernando and Hector in Jalan Kubor, and Mateo in Tyrwhitt Road, on May 11.
Police said the three of them had entered Singapore on social visit passes within the past fortnight.
A car, a circular power saw and an assortment of jewellery, as well as cash in various currencies totalling more than $18,000, were recovered from the men.
Police have not ruled out the possibility of the suspects being linked to other cases, but added that there is currently no evidence linking them to a larger syndicate.
The three men will return to court on May 19 for a further mention of their case.
If convicted of the single housebreaking charge they currently face, they will each face a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.
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