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| Ringor was arrested for the theft at the airport just as she was about to fly out |
By Vir B. Lumicao
The long arm of the law finally caught up with a Filipina
domestic worker who stole $21,000 worth of jewelry from her employer two years
ago.
Normal L. Ringor, 41, was sentenced to four months in jail
at Kwun Tong court on Aug 16 for the theft.
She pleaded guilty to the offense before Magistrate Joseph
To, nearly a month after her arrest at Hong Kong International Airport as she
was about to leave the city.
She had been put on the Immigration watch list after police
investigators found Ringor had pawned a ring, three gold jewelry pieces and
four necklaces between March and July 2017.
These were among the pieces of jewelry that her former employer,
Li Shen, had reported missing in March 2017. Li said he had kept a diamond
ring, a gold pendant and a gold medal in an unlocked drawer in his
three-year-old son’s bedroom in their flat on Tower 16 at Ocean Shores in
Tseung Kwan O.
Li said he put the pendant and medal in the drawer in
September 2014. Then in January 2017, he added a diamond ring in the drawer.
On Dec 7, 2017, Li said he wanted to wear the jewelry but
could not find them in the drawer. He asked his wife and son whether they had
taken them but they said no.
The employer said no one could have taken the jewelry from the
drawer other than the members of his household.
He reported the theft to the police, who searched the house
and Ringor’s belongings but did not find the jewelry.
Shortly after the incident, Li terminated the contract of
Ringor, who he hired as domestic helper in September 2014. The maid apparently
found another employer.
The police who continued to check pawnshops eventually discovered
that Ringor had hocked the eight pieces of jewelry while in Li’s employ.
At around 7:30am on Jul 20 this year, Ringor was arrested at
the Hong Kong airport as she was about to board a flight out of the city.
During police questioning, Ringor admitted stealing Li’s
jewelry in March 2017 because her father died. She said she pawned them in
Central but could not remember the date and the name of the pawnshop.
Her lawyer said in mitigation Ringor had stolen the jewelry
because she needed around $10,000 for her father’s funeral. He said Ringor was
remorseful and asked for a lenient sentence.
But Magistrate To dismissed the plea, saying Ringor had
committed a serious breach of trust.
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