The Police have arrested two men, aged 33 and 46, for their suspected involvement in a case of theft and using a stolen credit card to make unauthorised retail purchases.
On 17 November 2018, the Police received a report from a victim who found his wallet missing along Tanjong Pagar Road. He later discovered several unauthorised transactions were made with his credit card, which was in his missing wallet. Through follow-up investigations, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department arrested the two suspects on 29 January 2019. A pawnshop ticket seized as case exhibit. Preliminary investigations revealed that the men had stolen the victim’s wallet and later used his credit card to make at least nine unauthorised credit card transactions amounting to more than $3,000/-.
The men will be charged in court on 31 January 2019 with theft with common intention and abetment by conspiracy to cheat under Section 379 read with Section 34 and Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, respectively. If convicted of theft, they shall be punished with a jail term which may extend to 3 years or a fine, or with both. If convicted of cheating, they shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall be liable to a fine.
The Police would like to remind members of the public to adopt the following crime prevention measures to safeguard their belongings:
- Avoid exposing cash, valuables, or jewellery in public areas as this might draw unnecessary attention;
- Avoid placing your wallet in your back pocket. Ensure that your bag is properly secured at all times. Cross-sling it in front or grasp it firmly while shopping or walking;
- Never leave your valuables unattended on trolleys or strollers while shopping. Unattended valuables are easy targets for would-be culprits;
- While having meals, never use valuables such as handphones to reserve seats. Arrange for someone to look after your valuables while ordering food;
- Do not be distracted by strangers creating a commotion, bumping into you or accidentally spilling something onto you. Check your valuables immediately if this happens; and
- Do not adorn your children with excessive gold jewellery as they are easy targets for potential criminals.
The Police would like to advise all credit/debit card holders to adopt the following measures to prevent unauthorised use of their cards:
- Opt for SMS OTP verification for purchases or charges to your credit / debit cards;
- Opt for an SMS to be sent to your handphone for any charges incurred on your credit / debit card;
- Check bank statements and alert the bank immediately should there be any discrepancies or fraudulent charges; and
- Do not give out your credit / debit card details to strangers.
The Police would also like to take this opportunity to remind merchants and sales staff to exercise vigilance and adopt correct card acceptance procedures when processing credit card transactions. They should look out for the name and security features on the card face and should contact their processing bank immediately for advice regarding if they detect anything suspicious.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
30 January 2019 @ 4:32 PM