SINGAPORE, May 12 — Three foreign men accused of breaking into multiple homes in Bukit Timah and making off with nearly S$685,000 (RM2.26 million) worth of valuables were charged in court today.
The Straits Times (ST) reported that Spanish-Colombian Hernando Giraldo Franco, 60; Mexican Hector Danial Garcia Iglesias, 51; and Mexican-Colombian Mateo Andres Garces Murillo, 48, each face one charge of housebreaking and theft for allegedly forcing their way into a Dunearn Close property on May 9.
From that single house, they are said to have stolen jewellery worth about S$421,300, seven luxury watches — including Montblanc, Breguet and Cartier timepieces valued at more than S$138,000 — and cash totalling around S$11,500 in local and foreign currencies.
According to ST, District Judge Paul Quan granted police prosecutors’ request to remand the trio for a week, with permission to take them out for further investigation.
Police are still trying to recover stolen items, conduct raids and determine whether more charges may be brought.
In court, both Garcia and Murillo — speaking through a Spanish interpreter — expressed regret. Garcia said he wanted to return the stolen goods to their rightful owners and had already told investigators where to find what remained.
“(I) made this mistake due to family problems, economic problems back in (my) country,” he reportedly said, adding that the potential 10-year jail term was “too long” as he has “family, children and grandchildren”.
Judge Quan reminded them that today’s hearing was not the time to argue for a lighter sentence or claim innocence, but that they could make their case later.
Officials from the Mexican embassy were present in court to assist Garcia and Murillo.
According to police, the trio were arrested just over a day after the first of three reported housebreakings — all in the upscale Bukit Timah area — which occurred between May 9 and 10.
The initial case in Cluny Park was reported at 11pm on May 9. The Dunearn Close case — the one they were charged with — came to light the next morning. A third break-in was reported in Eng Neo Avenue on the night of May 10.
After piecing together their identities through CCTV, police cameras and on-the-ground investigations, officers arrested Garcia and Franco in Jalan Kubor, and Murillo in Tyrwhitt Road, on May 11.
The suspects had entered Singapore separately on social visit passes within two weeks of the crimes, police said. Officers recovered a car, a circular power saw, jewellery, and more than S$18,000 in cash from them.
While police have not ruled out the trio’s involvement in other cases, there is currently no evidence linking them to a wider crime syndicate.
If convicted, each man could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
