14 Persons To Be Charged For Shop Theft

14 persons, aged between 18 and 73, will be charged in court from 15 to 16 January 2025 for their suspected involvement in separate cases of shop theft.

The details of some of the cases are as follows:

1. On 8 October 2024, an 18-year-old teenager had allegedly stolen two food items, amounting to $10, from a supermarket along Serangoon North Avenue 5. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs, it was revealed that he was also involved in at least 55 earlier cases of alleged shop theft at two different outlets of the same supermarket chain. Between 8 July and 8 October 2024, he had allegedly stolen 150 items amounting to about $240. The teenager will be charged with two amalgamated counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871 read with Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010.
   
   
2. On 26 September 2024, a 63-year-old man had allegedly stolen an umbrella valued at about $35 from a retail outlet along Jurong Gateway Road. He was arrested at scene by Police officers who attended to the incident. Further investigations revealed that he was also involved in two earlier cases of alleged shop theft at nearby shopping malls. On the same day, he had allegedly stolen two personal care products, amounting to $95, from a supermarket along Jurong East Street 21. He had also allegedly stolen an electronic item and a personal care product, amounting to about $47, from a retail outlet along Gateway Drive. The man will be charged with three counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
   
   
3. On 27 August 2024, a 60-year-old man had allegedly stolen three cans of abalone, amounting to about $83, from a supermarket along Yuan Ching Road. The alleged theft occurred over three separate visits to the supermarket on the same day. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs, the Police managed to establish his identity. The man will be charged with three counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
   
   
4. On 8 July 2024, a 34-year-old man had allegedly stolen several food items, amounting to about $38, from a supermarket along Punggol Central. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of the retailer’s self-implemented technological solution for loss prevention, the Police managed to establish his identity and subsequently arrested him. Further investigations revealed that he was involved in an earlier case of alleged shop theft at the same supermarket outlet. On 4 July 2024, he had allegedly stolen a pack of disposable diapers valued at about $15. Additionally, the man had previously been issued a 12-month conditional warning on 4 April 2024 for his involvement in two other cases of alleged shop theft. The man will be charged with four counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
   
   
5. On 28 June 2024, a 22-year-old man had allegedly stolen several items, amounting to $853, from a retail outlet along Orchard Road. On 3 July 2024, he entered the same retail outlet, and was immediately recognised by a staff for his alleged involvement in an earlier case of alleged shop theft at the same retail outlet on 26 June 2024, where he had allegedly stolen a plush toy pendant valued at $150. He was arrested at scene by Police officers who attended to the incident on 3 July 2024. The man will be charged with two counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
   
   
6. On 28 June 2024, a 28-year-old woman had allegedly stolen several items, amounting to about $197, from a supermarket along Kim Seng Promenade. She was arrested at scene by Police officers who attended to the incident. Further investigations revealed that she also found to be involved in two earlier cases of alleged shop theft within the same mall. On the same day, she had allegedly stolen several items from two other retail outlets, amounting to about $107. The woman will be charged with three counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871.
   
   
7. On 6 April 2024, a 32-year-old woman had allegedly stolen a pair of earrings valued at $1,150, from a luxury boutique along Orchard Turn. Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs, the Police managed to establish her identity. Further investigations revealed that she also found to be involved in an earlier case of alleged shop theft at the same boutique. On 16 January 2024, she had allegedly stolen a ring valued at $890. The woman will be charged with two 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.

Retailers are increasingly leveraging CCTV cameras in store. With more CCTV cameras installed within retail premises, retailers can review the CCTV footage and lodge police reports against shoplifters any time. With the prevalence of CCTV cameras, offenders will be caught eventually, even if they manage to leave the store with the stolen items. Amongst the 14 persons charged, a significant number were identified through CCTV footage provided by the retailers. 

The Police will continue to work closely with stakeholders and the community to prevent and deter shop theft cases. As the Lunar New Year festive period approaches, the Police would like to remind retailers to be prepared for increased shopping activity and to remain vigilant against shop thieves, especially when large crowds are expected. Retailers are advised to adopt the following measures:

1. Ensure a good line of sight for the displays by using an appropriate shop layout;
2. Display advisory posters or signs against shop theft;
3. Secure sale items or have them under surveillance by CCTV cameras, especially those places at extended areas;
4. Do not leave items in the stall unattended after operating hours for stalls or bazaar;
5. Display expensive merchandise in locked showcases or at prominent locations (e.g. near cashier counters);
6. Install CCTVs with recording system at the entrance/exit of the store to capture the facial features of shoppers;
7. Deploy adequate staff or security to patrol the premises to increase deterrence and engage customers as good service while ensuring retail safety;
8. During the festive period, consider implementing crowd management measures to maintain order and reduce opportunities for shop theft in high traffic areas; 
9. Be extra vigilant with seasonal high-value items such as gift hampers, festive goods, ensuring they are properly secured and monitored; and
10. Remind staff to be particularly alert during peak shopping hours and to report any suspicious behavior immediately.

Retailers are strongly encouraged to join the Shop Theft Awareness for Retailers (STAR) programme. Under the STAR programme, the Police work 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.