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The Police have arrested a 21-year-old Australian woman for her involvement in a case of shop theft committed in the transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 1.

On 12 June 2026 at about 12.05am, the Police were alerted to a case of shop theft at The Shilla Duty Free outlet located in the departure transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 1. Preliminary investigations revealed that the retail staff had discovered a missing box of perfume, valued at $312.80, from the display shelf on 11 June 2026 at about 11.30pm. CCTV footage showed the woman taking the item from the display shelf and leaving the shop without making payment. The woman’s identity was later established and she was arrested upon her return to Singapore on 18 July 2026.

The woman will be charged in court on 24 July 2026 with 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, a fine, or both. 

The Police take a serious view of shop theft cases. Retailers are increasingly leveraging CCTV footages to lodge police reports against shoplifters, even when immediate apprehension is not possible. This serves as a significant deterrent – even if offenders manage to evade detection at the time of the offence. CCTV evidence greatly increases the likelihood of their eventual identification, and they will face the full brunt of the law.