The Police have arrested a 56-year-old female Chinese National for her suspected involvement in a case of shop theft upon her return to Singapore.
On 7 January 2025, the Police were alerted to a case of shop theft where a handbag valued at $716 was stolen from a retail shop at the transit area of Terminal 4, Changi Airport. The staff discovered that the handbag was missing from the display shelf and confirmed that no one had bought the handbag.
CCTV footage revealed that the woman had entered the retail shop and allegedly placed the handbag on her luggage trolley and left the shop without paying. The woman’s identity was subsequently established but she had already departed from Singapore.
On 17 February 2025, the woman returned to Singapore via Changi Airport and was arrested.
The woman will be charged in court on 27 February 2025 for the offence of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to seven years, or with a fine, or with both.
Assistant Commissioner of Police M Malathi, Commander of Airport Police Division said, “The Police take a serious view of shop theft cases. This case reiterated our point that with more widespread adoption of CCTV technology by retailers, shop theft cases that might have gone unnoticed at the time of the incident would eventually be detected. Even if the offenders manage to evade immediate detection, they will still face consequences for their actions. The Airport Police will continue to work closely with stakeholders and the community to prevent and deter cases of shop theft at our airports.”
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
26 February 2025 @ 7:23 PM