19 persons, aged between 23 and 66, will be charged in court from 23 to 24 October 2024 for their suspected involvement in separate cases of shop theft.
The details of some of the cases are as follows:
- On 29 September 2024, a 30-year-old man had allegedly stolen three bottles of alcohol, amounting to about $35, from a supermarket along Sembawang Way. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from Police cameras, the Police managed to establish his identity and subsequently arrested him within three hours. He is believed to be responsible for a separate case of alleged shop theft. On 25 June 2024, the man allegedly stole a bottle of alcohol valued at about $80 from another supermarket along Sembawang Drive. The man will be charged with two counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 9 September 2024, a 29-year-old woman had allegedly stolen a personal care product valued at about $240 from a retail outlet at Bugis Junction. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs, the Police managed to establish her identity and subsequently arrested her. She is believed to be responsible for a separate case of alleged shop theft. On 30 July 2024, the woman had allegedly stolen various personal care products from a retail outlet at Suntec City amounting to about $230. The woman will be charged with two counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 7 September 2024, a 45-year-old man had allegedly stolen a pair of shoes from a retail outlet at Bugis Junction, amounting to about $300. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs, the Police managed to establish his identity and subsequently arrested him. Based on the CCTV footages, he is also believed to be involved in a separate case of alleged shop theft at another retail outlet within the same mall. On 24 August 2024, the man allegedly stole two electronic products, amounting to about $685. The man will be charged with two counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 26 August 2024, a 24-year-old woman had allegedly stolen a box of laxative valued at about $39 from a retail outlet along Lorong 1 Toa Payoh. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs, the Police managed to establish her identity and subsequently arrested her on 29 August 2024. She was also found to be involved in two earlier cases of alleged shop theft at the same retail outlet. On 13 and 22 August 2024, she had allegedly stolen a box of laxative valued at about $39, on each occasion. The woman will be charged with three counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 28 June 2024, a 40-year-old woman had allegedly stolen a food item and three battery packs from a supermarket at Loyang Point, amounting to about $40. She was arrested at scene by Police officers who attended to the incident. Further investigations revealed that she was involved in seven separate cases of alleged shop theft at the same supermarket. Between 30 April and 20 June 2024, she had allegedly stolen various food items amounting to about $145. The woman will be charged with eight counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 27 June 2024, a 38-year-old woman had allegedly stolen a power bank valued at about $65 from a retail outlet at Tiong Bahru Plaza. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs, the Police managed to establish her identity and subsequently arrested her. Further investigations revealed that she was involved in an earlier case of alleged shop theft at the same retail outlet. On 22 June 2024, she had allegedly stolen a pair of wireless headphones valued at about $40. The woman will be charged with two counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 12 January 2024, a 52-year-old woman had allegedly stolen a bag and a wallet from a retail outlet at Red Dot Design Museum, amounting to $395. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs and Police cameras, the Police managed to establish her identity. Further investigations revealed that she was involved in seven separate cases of alleged shop theft island wide. Between 9 December 2021 and 20 December 2023, the woman had allegedly stolen various items, amounting to about $1,250. The woman will be charged with eight counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
The offence of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871, carries an imprisonment term of up to seven years and a fine.
Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Devrajan Bala, Deputy Director of the Operations Department, said “Almost all retail shops and supermarkets have CCTV cameras in their premises and even if you manage to walk out of the store with the stolen items, you will still be caught eventually. The Police take a serious view of shop theft cases and offenders will be apprehended and dealt with firmly in accordance with the law.”
The Police will continue to work closely with stakeholders and the community to prevent and deter shop theft cases. The Police would like to remind retailers to remain vigilant against shop thieves, especially when large crowds are expected. Retailers are advised to adopt the following measures:
- Ensure a good line of sight for the displays by using an appropriate shop layout;
- Display advisory posters or signs against shop theft;
- Secure sale items or have them under surveillance by CCTV cameras, especially those places at extended areas;
- Do not leave items in the stall unattended after operating hours for stalls or bazaar;
- Display expensive merchandise in locked showcases or at prominent locations (e.g. near cashier counters);
- Install CCTVs with recording system at the entrance/exit of the store to capture the facial features of shoppers; and
- Deploy adequate staff or security to patrol the premises to increase deterrence and engage customers as good service while ensuring retail safety.
Retailers are strongly encouraged to join the Shop Theft Awareness for Retailers (STAR) programme. Under the STAR programme, the Police works closely with retailers to analyse their stores’ risk factors and vulnerabilities to shop theft, and jointly identify effective and practical crime prevention measures. Retailers may contact their nearest Neighborhood Police Centre to find out more about the programme.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
22 October 2024 @ 10:15 PM