Man who hid S$200,000 diamond in mouth during Chinatown heist gets jail
A fake gem was specially made in Surat, India, to match the specifications and serial number of the targeted diamond.
A 4.95-carat diamond was recovered after two men were arrested at Changi Airport while trying to leave Singapore. (Photos: Singapore Police Force)
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SINGAPORE: A thief was sentenced to 26 months and two weeks' jail on Tuesday (Sep 1) for his role in a Chinatown diamond heist.
He had hidden a custom-made fake gem in his mouth, switched it for the real diamond and concealed the genuine stone the same way.
Serasiya Milan Ramnikbhai, a 30-year-old from India, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft with common intention.
His accomplice, 41-year-old Mangroliya Manojkumar Kurjibha, was handed the same jail term in July.
The pair had commissioned a counterfeit diamond in Surat, India, matching the targeted diamond's specifications and serial number.
Serasiya's lawyer, Mr Amarick Gill, said that Mangroliya formed the plan, sourced the counterfeit diamond, identified the trader Dianoche Diamonds Jewelry, and booked the flights and accommodation.
He also instructed Serasiya to conceal the counterfeit diamond in his mouth and swap it in exchange for money.
The duo entered Singapore on Jun 19 this year intending to steal the 4.95-carat diamond, valued at US$154,000 – or almost S$200,000 at the time – from the store in Chinatown.
They asked to view the gemstone at about 3pm, with Mangroliya distracting the sales manager by asking to see several items.
Serasiya then spat out the fake diamond and switched it with the real gem, concealing the stone in his mouth.
His actions were captured on closed-circuit television footage.
Mangroliya then told the sales manager that he would consider the purchase before leaving with Serasiya.
The pair returned to their hotel and booked a flight to India departing that evening, but the sales manager examined the fake gem and found it to be counterfeit.
The men were arrested at Changi Airport while trying to clear immigration. The genuine diamond was later recovered from Serasiya's haversack.
The prosecutor sought the same jail term meted out to Mangroliya based on the principle of parity. She said there was no material difference in their culpability to warrant an adjustment to the sentence for Serasiya.
Mr Gill also sought a jail term similar to what Mangroliya received.
He said that his client is married and has a six-month-old son. Serasiya is the family's sole breadwinner and owns a small shop selling textiles and garments.
The lawyer said that the plan was hatched by Mangroliya, who worked in the gem industry, while Serasiya knew nothing of the gem trade.
