Some people steal cars, some people nick stuff from hotel rooms, some people make off with millions of dollars. This dude stole computer components from a hospital.
31-year-old systems engineer Michael Lin Weihong has just been sentenced to 42 months in prison for stealing more that $351,000 worth of backup network components from KK Women's and Children's Hospital, The Straits Times reports.
His former employer Integrated Health Information System had sent him to the hospital to help upgrade their existing network connectivity infrastructure, where Lin would abuse his power to slowly remove the components.
He would delink and disconnect the main network system from the backup components with his work ID and physically remove parts such as network switches. Every time the removal of backup components triggered an alarm, Lin would respond and report that it was a false call.
He would also volunteer to perform routine check on the hospital's network components and report to principal engineer Lim Kock Tuan that nothing was amiss.
It was only later on that Lim realised that the network components were missing when he performed a maintenance round. The electronic system logs revealed Lin's ID performing a deactivation programme.
In court, Lin admitted to four charges of theft in dwelling, and had done so as he was under pressure due to debts with banks and loan sharks.
The Deputy Public Prosecutor noted that Lin's crime had a high level of premeditation, and that the stolen items were vital to the hospital's operations and its ability to facilitate patient care.
Photo: Yuri Samoilov via Flickr
Some people steal cars, some people nick stuff from hotel rooms, some people make off with millions of dollars. This dude stole computer components from a hospital.
31-year-old systems engineer Michael Lin Weihong has just been sentenced to 42 months in prison for stealing more that $351,000 worth of backup network components from KK Women's and Children's Hospital, The Straits Times reports.
His former employer Integrated Health Information System had sent him to the hospital to help upgrade their existing network connectivity infrastructure, where Lin would abuse his power to slowly remove the components.
He would delink and disconnect the main network system from the backup components with his work ID and physically remove parts such as network switches. Every time the removal of backup components triggered an alarm, Lin would respond and report that it was a false call.
He would also volunteer to perform routine check on the hospital's network components and report to principal engineer Lim Kock Tuan that nothing was amiss.
It was only later on that Lim realised that the network components were missing when he performed a maintenance round. The electronic system logs revealed Lin's ID performing a deactivation programme.
In court, Lin admitted to four charges of theft in dwelling, and had done so as he was under pressure due to debts with banks and loan sharks.
The Deputy Public Prosecutor noted that Lin's crime had a high level of premeditation, and that the stolen items were vital to the hospital's operations and its ability to facilitate patient care.
Photo: Yuri Samoilov via Flickr