got this off TodayOnline...
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RESIDENTS of Block 728, Clementi West Street 2, were pleasantly surprised yesterday when they opened their letterboxes to find, among the usual bills, a $50 note.
Some thought the money had come from the Government. Others figured someone in their block had struck it rich in the lottery and decided to share the wealth.
As it turned out, the money had been put in the letterboxes by Ms Lau Chee Ching, a resident of a nearby block.
Today has since learned from her family that the 32-year-old woman suffers from a mental disorder. Ms Lau said that yesterday, she had heard "voices" telling her to put money into letterboxes. She proceeded to a nearby teller machine and withdrew $3,000, which she slotted into the letterboxes at Block 728.
Two well-meaning neighbours who were aware of Ms Lau's condition rushed to the block to try and retrieve the money. But they were shocked to find some residents not only unwilling to return the money, but so eager to fish out more $50 notes they tried to pry open other mailboxes.
The neighbours also put up two notices, explaining how Ms Lau was not fully aware of her actions, at an adjacent lift lobby. In the notice they asked residents to return the money.
But as of last night, only $300 of the $3,000 had been returned to the family - $200 by a postman who spotted the notice and another $100 by two residents, one of whom was a teenager.
When Today visited Block 728 yesterday, Ms Lau was still at the foot of the block.
She was mumbling repeatedly in Mandarin: "My money is gone."
According to neighbour Goh Ong Seng, who helped Ms Lau make a police report last night, Ms Lau had given out money accumulated from previous jobs and set aside in her personal savings account.
However, she lost her job two weeks ago due to her mental condition and has not been employed since.
Said Mr Goh: "She worked in a factory, but due to the stress and the noise, her illness got worse."
Ms Lau, the youngest of six siblings, is being treated at the Alexandra Hospital, which she visits every three weeks, accompanied by one of her neighbours, for a check-up and to collect her medicine.
Her mother told Today that losing her job three years ago had brought on a bout of depression, which led to her illness.
Said Mr Goh: "(Ms Lau) doesn't come from a wealthy background. $3,000 is a lot of money to the family - her mother can't walk properly and she needs the money for her own treatment.
"Those who found the money should return it to her. I don't understand how they can spend the money with peace of mind."
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can you beat that?!! *mortified*
that makes it 2 decent people out of 56!
i stand in awe of those people.. their ability to sleep with nightmares plaguing them
sometimes, i'm just ashamed to be called a
Singaporeannuff said.
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