A local chemistry teacher at St Francis Methodist School broke bad and stole $3,350 in cash from his own students in a fit of desperation to clear his debts.
37-year-old Ong Wee Koe Sandridge has since been sentenced to six weeks in jail after pleading guilty to theft, TODAY reports. He was deep in credit card debt — $7,000 in total — and had even taken a $3,000 loan from a licensed moneylender during the time of his offence in October last year.
Ong went into an empty classroom where the students were gone for a physical education class and looted their bags, taking $2,050 from one student and another $1,300 from a different student that afternoon. $1,200 of the stolen money were used to repay his moneylender while the rest were spent on transport and daily expenses.
The girl whose $2,050 was stolen from her (it was intended to pay for her school fees) lodged a police report after discovering the money was missing.
In court, Ong was said to have made restitution to her already, and stands ready to pay back his second victim.
It was also revealed by a psychiatrist that Ong had an immature way of coping with stress from work and marriage, and would engage in self-harm.
A local chemistry teacher at St Francis Methodist School broke bad and stole $3,350 in cash from his own students in a fit of desperation to clear his debts.
37-year-old Ong Wee Koe Sandridge has since been sentenced to six weeks in jail after pleading guilty to theft, TODAY reports. He was deep in credit card debt — $7,000 in total — and had even taken a $3,000 loan from a licensed moneylender during the time of his offence in October last year.
Ong went into an empty classroom where the students were gone for a physical education class and looted their bags, taking $2,050 from one student and another $1,300 from a different student that afternoon. $1,200 of the stolen money were used to repay his moneylender while the rest were spent on transport and daily expenses.
The girl whose $2,050 was stolen from her (it was intended to pay for her school fees) lodged a police report after discovering the money was missing.
In court, Ong was said to have made restitution to her already, and stands ready to pay back his second victim.
It was also revealed by a psychiatrist that Ong had an immature way of coping with stress from work and marriage, and would engage in self-harm.