Singapore watch heist suspect surrenders in Thailand

© 2009 AFP - A fugitive wanted in one of Singapore's biggest theft cases has surrendered to the city-state's embassy in Bangkok, police said Wednesday.

Jerry Ee, who is suspected of stealing luxury watches worth more than five million US dollars from a shop in Singapore, is in police custody in Thailand, Singapore police said.

Ee, a Singaporean, had been on the run since the theft was discovered on December 26 last year at the high-end Cortina Watch shop but surfaced at the embassy Tuesday. He is a former employee of the business.

"Police confirm that Jerry Ee, the suspect in Cortina Watch theft case, is currently in the custody of the Royal Thai Police and more than 200 pieces of the stolen watches were recovered," Singapore police said in a statement.

The force said it was working with the Royal Thai Police to bring Ee back "for further further investigations".

Singapore's Straits Times newspaper reported that Ee, accompanied by his lawyer and a childhood friend, hauled three large suitcases and three backpacks into the Singapore embassy as he turned himself in.

Ee is suspected of stealing 386 designer watches, including timepieces by Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Rolex, local media reports said.

Interpol, the global police body, issued a worldwide alert for Ee three weeks after the theft was discovered.

The theft is one of the largest in recent memory in Singapore, which prides itself on tight security and a low crime rate.SINGAPORE, March 18, 2009 (AFP)