Ex-Mermaid Beauty Queen Stole S$4K Worth Of Items From Hotels, Including A Mattress, Curtains & Phones

A former beauty queen with a long rap sheet for theft has been jailed after stealing sprees at hotels, even while out on bail and undergoing court-ordered treatment.

The court sentenced her to eight months imprisonment on Tuesday (Jan 13).

Tania Tan Yi Rong, 34, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and one count of mischief under the Vandalism Act.

The former HR manager was crowned Miss Singapore Mermaid 2017 and had represented Singapore in several overseas pageants, and was a finalist for Miss Singapore World 2021.

According to court documents, Tania checked into multiple hotels when committing the crimes.

• Four Points by Sheraton Singapore on November 22, 2024, Tania stole S$1,281.60, including curtains, a telephone, and a clock.
• Conrad Singapore Orchard on November 25, 2024, she made off with items worth S$1,395, such as an electric kettle, umbrellas, and artwork from the room.
• Novotel hotel on December 25, 2024, she stole cushions, bedsheets, a clock, a telephone, and a toothbrush holder valued at S$280.
• The Robertson House on February 14, 2025 saw Tania steal a table lamp, mattress, telephone, and hangers worth S$951.20.

This was not her first brush with the law. Tania had been arrested as early as 2020 for stealing items from golf clubs, hospitals, restaurants, and residential carparks, which included cutlery and towels to paper and helmets.

Despite being placed on bail and ordered to undergo mandatory treatment, she began stealing from hotels during the treatment period itself, taking nearly S$4,000 worth of items. That pattern of reoffending led the court to rule that she was no longer suitable for treatment-based sentencing.

The prosecution cited an Institute of Mental Health (IMH) report stating that Tania has a history of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and compulsive hoarding disorder, both of which had relapsed during the period of the offences.

While Tania claimed that taking items helped relieve distressing thoughts and anxiety, the prosecution argued this did not excuse her actions, especially since she reoffended barely a month after treatment began.

Her defense lawyer maintained that her mental health conditions impaired her self-control and stressed that the items were not stolen for profit.

Photos: Zaobao