Life is tough when it comes to financial struggles, especially when the cost of living hasn’t been kind on us.
A single mother reportedly stole two packs of chicken essence at a supermarket with her 1-year-old baby in her arms.
According to See Hua Daily, the theft occurred earlier this month on 4 August and was discovered by the supermarket authorities when they reviewed the CCTV footage the next morning.
Source: Very Well Family (For illustration purposes only)
The supermarket personnel decided to lodge a police report against her for stealing, and two days after the report was made, the police arrested the woman at her home.
After admitting to her act, she cried and pleaded for a lesser punishment as she’s a divorcee forced to take care of her 1-year-old baby alone. The judge decided to sentence her to 1 day of jail as well as an RM1,000 fine.
However, the accused was unable to afford the enormous sum of money due to her financial struggles. So the judge sentenced her to 2 months of jail instead.
Source: South China Morning Post (For illustration purposes only)
It’s reported that the supermarket’s total cost for the stolen chicken essence was RM183.96. Although the amount doesn’t seem significant, the accused had to pay a much higher price for committing a crime.
News like this break our hearts, not only for the struggling mother but also for her baby who deserves a healthy environment to grow up in.
It’s unfortunate that this woman received double the punishment. The only reason she stole was due to poverty in the first place, sentencing her to jail will only make things worse. We empathise with single mothers because it’s indeed a challenging role, and also hope that they could receive all the support they need.
Also read: Housewives, Single Mothers, & Widows Can Get RM40 Monthly & EPF Benefits Starting 15th Aug
