SINGAPORE, June 25 — Two Chinese nationals who broke into a home in the upscale Singapore neighbourhood of Bukit Timah and stole a pair of watches — including a Cartier Roadster — were each sentenced to 15 months’ jail yesterday.

According to Channel News Asia (CNA), Feng Yunlong, 38, and Zhang Yongxiang, 52, had arrived in Singapore on social visit passes just three days before the burglary.

The break-in occurred on December 16, 2024, in the Greenleaf View neighbourhood, part of a string of housebreaking cases reported in landed properties over the past year.

CNA reported that both men pleaded guilty to one count of housebreaking, with a similar charge taken into consideration.

Appearing in court via videolink, they were unrepresented and spoke through a Mandarin interpreter.

According to court proceedings, Zhang was the one who entered the property, while Feng acted as a lookout. The two had picked a house that appeared unoccupied, with no lights on.

Zhang took gloves from a nearby construction site to avoid leaving fingerprints. At about 9.10pm, he entered the partially built house next door, climbed a makeshift staircase and crossed into the targeted home via an unlocked sliding window in the study room.

Using a torchlight, he navigated through the house, eventually pocketing two watches found on a television console: a Cartier Roadster worth S$8,800 (RM30,000) and a Casio Edifice worth S$150.

After failing to find other valuables, Zhang left the house and rejoined Feng. The two returned to their hotel and were arrested two days later.

Prosecutors sought between 14 and 16 months’ jail, pointing to the planning involved and the fact the offence happened at night, "when most residents would be at home”.

They added that such break-ins could cause "psychological harm” to the victims.

District Judge Christopher Goh questioned both men on their motives for coming to Singapore if they had dependants back home.

Feng did not directly respond, only saying: "I will not do this anymore. I will return home to be with my mother.”

Zhang reportedly replied, "I intended to find a job actually and I didn’t plan for this to have happened. It was because I was greedy and I was wrong.”

Under Singapore law, both men could have faced up to 10 years’ jail and a fine for housebreaking.