Over $50k in gold coins, cash stolen from veteran artist Koeh Sia Yong's home while he was in Bali
Over $50k in gold coins, cash stolen from veteran artist Koeh Sia Yong's home while he was in Bali
SINGAPORE – While veteran Singaporean artist Koeh Sia Yong was away in Indonesia for nearly two months earlier in 2025, his bedroom drawers back home were emptied of more than $50,000 in valuables.
The 87-year-old returned to his two-bedroom unit at The Interlace condo in Depot Road on March 15 to find his home had been broken into.
'When I stepped into my apartment, I saw my master bedroom door, which I had locked, was open,' Mr Koeh told The Straits Times in Mandarin.
'My room was ransacked, the wardrobe drawers were pulled out, and my clothes were scattered everywhere.'
The kitchen window had been prised open and the intercom unit inside his apartment removed.
He phoned his daughter, who called the police.
A police forensics team was deployed and spent several hours collecting fingerprints and other evidence from the unit. The police said investigations are ongoing.
Mr Koeh, a second-generation Nanyang artist whose works have been exhibited across Asia, had left Singapore on Jan 20 for his annual trip to Bali. This time, however, the visit was especially meaningful – he was there to set up an art gallery.
He said he lost 10 gold coins worth more than $40,000, $3,000 in cash, and other cash collectibles.
But two new mobile phones – including a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra worth about $1,500 – were left untouched, along with a Samsung notebook on the dining table and around 200 oil paintings.
'It didn't look like the burglars had entered the second bedroom, where I kept all my paintings. The living room also looked untouched,' Mr Koeh said.
When ST visited his home on May 8, he pointed out a staircase accessible from the corridor on the seventh floor, where his unit is located.
As the staircase is near his kitchen window, Mr Koeh suspects that his unit could have been broken into via that staircase.
'I never thought this could happen in a condo with security guards,' said Mr Koeh.
He added that since he moved into the condo in 2014, he had always 'felt very safe' living there.
The managing agent of the 1,040-unit Interlace declined comment as the case is under investigation.
Mr Koeh Sia Yong said he lost 10 gold coins worth more than $40,000, $3,000 in cash, and other cash collectibles.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Mr Koeh's partner, who wanted to be known only as Annie, said Mr Koeh's son-in-law had stopped by at the end of February to drop off some books at their home, but he did not notice anything amiss.
Mr Koeh believes the burglary had likely happened in early March.
Before leaving for Bali, Mr Koeh had taken his gold coins out to check on their value, as he was planning to sell them to fund eye surgery originally scheduled for May 6, said Annie.
They had travelled to Bali together, but Mr Koeh returned to Singapore first. Annie said she rushed back to Singapore after she learnt of the burglary.
'Seeing how distressed he is now, I have postponed his surgery,' she added.
Lawyer Daniel Chen of law firm Lee & Lee, who specialises in litigation and disputes involving the management corporation strata title (MCST) of properties, said burglaries or thefts in condos are generally uncommon.
He said 'there tends to be more cases of theft at the common property than burglary of condominium units'.
The MCST's duty is 'limited to appointing a reasonably competent security agency to implement security measures appropriate to the development'.
The damaged window frame in Mr Koeh Sia Yong's home.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Managing agents engaged by the MCST are also not responsible for ensuring the security of the condo and its residents, as they are generally not employed to undertake such functions. 'The primary responsibility lies with the security agency,' explained Mr Chen.
While many residents would likely assume that security officers are responsible for keeping intruders out, in practice, it can be difficult for security officers to prevent unauthorised people from entering a condo development.
'At automated access entry points, the 'unauthorised persons' can easily follow after or 'tailgate' residents,' Mr Chen said.
'And at manned entry points, the 'unauthorised persons' can say they are visiting a certain unit and are usually granted entry on that basis, because the security officer may not have the time or capacity to hold the person at the entry point until the visit is confirmed with the resident of the unit.'
When it comes to surveillance cameras, access controls or patrols, the appropriate level of security should be assessed by the MCST together with the security agency, depending on the size, layout, access points, and location of the condo, he added.
For Mr Koeh, the experience has been a sobering lesson in home security.
In the days after the break-in, he had aluminium grilles installed over his kitchen window.
'I never bought home insurance because I always thought a condo was safe,' said Mr Koeh.
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Straits Times
28 minutes ago
- Straits Times
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PHOTOS: ST FILE 'Whether the blanket is washed or sent to be dry-cleaned is a matter of convenience: a washing machine helps a lot if the task is done at home,' it notes, hinting at the growing appeal of mechanised laundry. After World War II, the dream of effortless washing took a bold leap forward. On Sept 15, 1946 , a front-page advertisement shouted the arrival of an 'all-British cabinet washing machine' from Servis. 'Electrically operated' and 'streamline-designed', it promised to do 'all the labour of washing and wringing for you – at very little cost'. The age of modern laundry had finally arrived. 2. Telephone (1876) and mobile phone (1973) An illustration of the first mobile phone. ST ILLUSTRATION: LOCK HOCK LIANG Chances are, you read many Straits Times articles on a mobile phone, a device born from the simple idea of sending sound across a distance. In the 19th century, 'calling' someone was a game changer, faster than a telegram, radio broadcast or printed notice. Italian inventor Antonio Meucci and Frenchman Charles Bourseul toyed with early designs, but it was American Alexander Graham Bell who clinched the first patent in the United States in 1876. By May 12, 1877, The Straits Times was already hailing the telephone as 'one of the most sensational inventions of the day' and describing a set-up of two cylinders linked by thread. Among the first mentions of 'telephone' in The Straits Times was on May 12, 1877, when the device was considered to be 'one of the most sensational inventions of the day'. Just over a month after Motorola demonstrated the use of the first handheld mobile phone in New York, the words 'mobile telephone' appeared in The Sunday Times' May 20, 1973, edition (right). PHOTOS: ST FILE It would take nearly a century before a mobile version appeared. On April 3, 1973, Motorola engineer Martin Cooper placed a call from a handheld phone on the streets of New York City. The buzz caught on quickly. Just a month later on May 20, 1973, The Sunday Times reported on 'mobile telephone' technology in Malaysia's telecommunications system , noting that new facilities and services in Selangor and some adjoining areas could be used for mobile telephones. It would take several more decades for the smartphone revolution. Apple's iPhone, unveiled by Steve Jobs in January 2007, would change everything. Interestingly, The Straits Times mentioned the 'iPhone' even before that. In a March 28, 2006, story in the Digital Life supplement about consumers buying accessories for the portable media player, the iPod, it said: ' According to the rumour mill, fans are now waiting for the ultimate iPod to accessorise – the iPhone .' Apple's iPhone, unveiled by Steve Jobs in January 2007, would change everything. Interestingly, The Straits Times mentioned the 'iPhone' even before that, in a March 28, 2006, story. PHOTO: ST FILE 3. 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PHOTO: ST FILE By 1906, electricity had come to the region, with a report on May 2 that year describing a tragic accident in Kuala Lumpur, in which a horse was electrocuted by falling electric light wires and killed instantly. Another report the same month, on May 30 , said that two new houses of then Sultan of Selangor Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah were 'lighted with electricity throughout', and hoped that the town of Kuala Kangsar would similarly be 'lighted with electricity' soon. A Straits Times article on May 2, 1906, reporting that a horse in Kuala Lumpur had been electrocuted by falling electric light wires and killed instantly (left). An article on Page 7 of the May 30, 1906, edition, which said that two new houses of the then Sultan of Selangor Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah, in what is now Malaysia, were 'lighted with electricity throughout' (right). PHOTOS: ST FILE That same year, another report on Nov 22 announced that electric lighting and fans would be installed at a new pavilion at the Singapore Cricket Club, and that the price of electricity had fallen greatly from an initial estimate of 40 cents per unit to 25 cents per unit. In all, 24 fans and 132 lamps would be powered this way. Clearly, electricity had arrived, and life was bright with possibility. 4. Automobile (1886) The Benz Patent-Motorwagen, a three-wheeled vehicle powered by a petrol engine, is now widely recognised as the world's first practical automobile. ST ILLUSTRATION: LOCK HOCK LIANG Before modern cars, early experiments in transport included steam-powered vehicles like steam cars and buses, though these were often impractical or limited in use. That changed in 1886, when German engineer Carl Benz introduced the Benz Patent-Motorwagen – a three-wheeled vehicle powered by a petrol engine. It is now widely recognised as the world's first practical automobile. One of the earliest mentions of the word 'automobile' in The Straits Times appeared on June 25, 1898. An article on Page 3 reported how French aristocrat Anne de Rochechouart, the Duchess of Uzes, was a trailblazer – a 'lady automobile driver' at a time when only men drove. One of the earliest mentions of the word 'automobile' in The Straits Times was on June 25, 1898, in an article that referred to the French Duchess of Uzes as a 'lady automobile driver'. PHOTO: ST FILE She was reportedly the first woman in France to earn a driver's licence and aced her 40km test drive in Paris, showing 'perfect familiarity with the machine' and confidently answering all the examiners' questions. In 1899, five automobile vehicles appeared at the Esplanade here, including an automotor tricycle, which could be driven 97km on less than 2 litres of 'petroleum essence' . The details of the vehicles, said to be linked to the Phebus company, a French manufacturer of early automobiles, were reported on Feb 20, 1899 . By 1902, advertisements for cars began appearing, such as one by The French Automobile Company offering trials to potential customers, including teaching them how the cars' mechanisms work. 'No explosion possible', read the ad on Page 6 of the Sept 12 edition. 'In great demand', it also proclaimed. 'Once tried, always appreciated.' An advertisement on Sept 12, 1902, by The French Automobile Company, offering trials of cars to potential customers, who will also learn the cars' mechanisms. PHOTO: ST FILE Cycle & Carriage , a car retailer and distributor, was founded in 1899 in Kuala Lumpur. Although it started out as a trader in nutmeg and sundry goods, it soon sold other goods, such as bicycles, motorcycles and motor cars. In 1916, it opened a branch in Orchard Road in Singapore, and in an article on Aug 25, 1916, reportedly had an 'illustrated catalogue' of bicycles, motorcycles and accessories, in stock for immediate delivery at the Singapore branch. An article on Aug 25, 1916, reporting that Cycle & Carriage – now known as Jardine Cycle & Carriage – was selling bicycles, motorcycles and accessories. PHOTO: ST FILE It is now Jardine Cycle & Carriage, after it became a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Jardine Matheson Group in 2002. 5. Radio (late 1880s) and television (1927) Radio broadcasting arrived in Singapore in the 1920s. ST ILLUSTRATION: LOCK HOCK LIANG The history of radio is hotly debated, but most agree that German physicist Heinrich Hertz first proved the existence of radio waves in the late 1880s. It took years before these waves were harnessed for communication, navigation and more. One of the early mentions of 'radio' appeared on May 23, 1907, in an article about Britain's Radio-Telegraph Convention Committee. The article highlighted an intriguing 'discovery' – that sunlight, unlike fog or mist, could disrupt long-distance wireless signals. It noted that messages could travel twice as far at night compared with a sunny day. The word 'radio' made an early appearance in ST on May 23, 1907, when an article on Page 4 referred to the Radio-Telegraph Convention Committee in Britain. PHOTO: ST FILE Radio broadcasting arrived in Singapore in the 1920s through the efforts of a small group of amateur radio enthusiasts including the Amateur Wireless Society of Malaya, an interest group comprising mostly European expatriates. In 1925, they successfully transmitted speech and sounds from a gramophone from their rooms at the Union Building in Collyer Quay. An article on Page 9 on May 7, 1925, about the Amateur Wireless Society of Malaya, an interest group comprising mostly European expatriates, successfully transmitting a speech and sounds from a gramophone from their rooms at the Union Building in Collyer Quay. PHOTO: ST FILE Back then, local amateur singers and musicians were some of the first to have their performances regularly broadcast on the radio. As for television, the magic moment came after decades of experimentation elsewhere. On Feb 16, 1963 , the front page proclaimed 'TV comes to Singapore', and quoted then Minister for Culture S. Rajaratnam as saying this could be the 'start of a cultural, social revolution'. An article on Page 1 of the paper on Feb 16, 1963, announcing the arrival of television in Singapore. PHOTO: ST FILE The evening before, at 6pm, Mr Rajaratnam was the first person to appear on television screens here, where he said: 'If used intelligently and responsibly, television can far more effectively than any other medium of communication broaden the intellectual horizons of the ordinary man.' The first successful demonstration of electronic television came in 1927, thanks to American inventor Philo Taylor Farnsworth, who used electronic signals to create moving images on a screen. But The Straits Times had shown interest in the idea much earlier. On Jan 10, 1910, it published an article about German scientist Ernst Ruhmer, who transmitted simple images using selenium cells over telegraph lines. The article imagined that one day, 'the head and shoulders of a human being could be seen over a distance'. The word 'television' appeared in the paper on Jan 10, 1910, when an article talked about the possibility of one day being able to see people in Paris while sitting at home in London. PHOTO: ST FILE This story offered a glimpse of a future television technology that would later develop with cathode ray tubes. 6. Air-conditioning (1902) One of the first few air-conditioning units in the early 1900s. ST ILLUSTRATION: LOCK HOCK LIANG If you cannot survive one day without air-conditioning, imagine what life was like before this invention came to Singapore in the 1930s. Reports say air-conditioning was first installed here in 1932 , at the Chinese Recreation Club. Also among the first adopters was Singapore General Hospital , which tested out air-conditioning in its X-ray screening room, X-ray viewing room and two patients' rooms in 1937, and subsequently installed it in its operating theatre in 1938. Both events were reported on. A Page 15 article on Nov 7, 1937, for example, said: 'Air-conditioned wards, operating theatres and X-ray rooms at the Singapore General Hospital may become a reality if experiments now being carried out at the hospital impress the authorities.' An article on Nov 7, 1937, about Singapore General Hospital testing out air-conditioning in its X-ray screening room, X-ray viewing room and two patients' rooms. The hospital was among the first adopters of air-conditioning. PHOTO: ST FILE And impress they did, for on June 19, 1938, another article, this time on Page 2, announced that patients there would soon be 'released from the agony of prickly heat'. The change would also allow surgeons to operate in comfort, instead of being bathed in sweat, and asthma sufferers to be treated in a suitably dry atmosphere, it continued. It was all thanks to American engineer Willis Carrier , who built the first modern air-conditioning system in 1902. Designed to control humidity and lower the temperature of air to a desired dew point temperature , his invention would eventually transform how humans live and made cinemas, shopping malls, long-haul flights and computer servers possible. Early mentions of air-conditioning included an article on April 7, 1931, describing the new technology's ability to produce temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 deg C) with almost any degree of humidity, 'artificially created whatever the outside weather'. It noted the technology was still experimental, with studies in a British university monitoring pulse rates, body temperature and weight loss from sweating . 7. Electric refrigerator (1913) and microwave (1945) Microwave cooking was discovered by accident in 1945. ST ILLUSTRATION: LOCK HOCK LIANG One of the first mentions of refrigerators was in a shopping advertisement . On Feb 26, 1884, department store John Little proudly announced the arrival of 'Kent's refrigerators' among its 'new goods', alongside card tables and a billiard room liqueur table in its furniture section. While the science behind it was not explained, it most certainly did not run on electricity. On Feb 26, 1884, an advertisement by department store John Little announced that Kent's refrigerators were among its new goods. PHOTO: ST FILE The first electric refrigerators for home and domestic use were invented only in 1913. They had reached Singapore by 1927, as an early ad for an electric refrigerator was published on Page 12 of the July 23 edition of The Straits Times that year, promising a device that 'makes ice, ice cream (and) keeps food and drink fresh' and 'never wants repair'. An ad on Page 12 of the July 23, 1927, edition for an electric refrigerator that 'makes ice, ice cream (and) keeps food and drink fresh' and 'never wants repair'. PHOTO: ST FILE Microwave cooking was discovered by accident in 1945 after American engineer Percy Spencer noticed a chocolate bar melting near a World War II radar device. He later used microwaves to pop popcorn. Microwave ovens gained popularity in Singapore homes only in the 1970s, when smaller and more affordable models became available. Japanese electronics manufacturer Sanyo took out an ad on Page 8 of the Feb 22, 1970, edition to explain how a microwave oven worked and promised 'Roast a chicken in minutes'. Japanese electronics manufacturer Sanyo took out an ad on Feb 22, 1970, to explain how a microwave oven worked. PHOTO: ST FILE It said: 'A microwave oven utilises high frequency energy to cook or heat food. Since the heat energy permeates the entire mass of the food at once, cooking is extremely quick and even. A whole chicken takes only an instant to roast.' 8. Laptop (1981) An early laptop. ST ILLUSTRATION: LOCK HOCK LIANG 'Laptop computers are really something. They weigh just over 2kg, run on batteries and stash neatly in a briefcase. But how does one print a letter?' This was the introduction to a New York Times article that ran in The Straits Times' Section Two – a lifestyle section – on July 15, 1985. A New York Times article that ran in The Straits Times' Section Two – a lifestyle section – on July 15, 1985. The report marvelled at the convenience of laptop computers. PHOTO: ST FILE The first laptop was the Osborne 1, which weighed 11.1kg, had no internal battery and was powered by a wall plug. Released in 1981 by American company Osborne Computer Corp, it was considered a portable device as it could be carried by hand when its keyboard was closed. In those days, the word 'laptop' was not common parlance. One of the first mentions of the word appeared on May 13, 1985, in Section Two. It was used to describe the Kaypro 2000, a 4.12kg IBM-compatible briefcase-size portable computer, which was selling for a hefty US$1,995. One of the first mentions of the word 'laptop' appeared on May 13, 1985, in ST's Section Two. It was used to describe the Kaypro 2000. PHOTO: ST FILE Another laptop, the Bondwell 2, was also written about in Section Two on Sept 9, 1985. It sold for about $2,000 , which included software packages. Another laptop, the Bondwell 2, was written about in Section Two on Sept 9, 1985. PHOTO: ST FILE At that time, a reporter noted: 'The crop of portables available here are rather high-priced and beyond the reach of most people.' Thankfully, that has changed, with some laptops today priced in the low hundreds. The Kenbak-1 , built by American inventor John Blankenbaker in 1971, is widely seen as the first personal computer. Originally designed for educational purposes – to teach computer concepts and programming – it paved the way for laptops in the 1980s and smartphones in the 1990s, all turbocharged by the rise of the internet and social media. Today, most people interact with some form of personal computer daily. This digital transformation was predicted as early as 1967 by American mathematician John G. Kemeny . In a Straits Times report on Jan 28 that year, Kemeny forecast that by 1990, computers would be as common in homes as telephones and TVs, and used for chores such as shopping and banking. He was spot on . In an article on Jan 28, 1967, American mathematician John G. Kemeny predicted that by 1990, a computer terminal would be as common and important in American homes as a telephone and TVs. PHOTO: ST FILE
