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On 7 August 2026, Assistant Commissioner of Police M. Malathi, Commander of Airport Police Division, presented the Public Spiritedness Award to Mr Silas Wong for his assistance to the Police in the arrest of a 60-year-old Chinese national for suspected theft onboard an aircraft.

On 6 August 2026 at about 11.20pm, the Police were alerted to a case of suspected theft onboard an aircraft to Singapore. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had allegedly removed a passenger’s backpack from an overhead compartment, placed the bag beside him and rummaged through its contents before returning it to the compartment without the victim’s knowledge.

Mr Wong, who was onboard the same flight, noticed the man’s suspicious behaviour and kept him under observation. After the aircraft landed at Changi Airport, Mr Wong located the owner of the backpack and alerted him to what he had witnessed. Upon checking his belongings, the victim discovered that 250 Euros was missing from his backpack. Mr Wong subsequently contacted the Police to report the theft.

Acting on the information provided by Mr Wong and with the aid of CCTV footage, officers from Airport Police Division swiftly established the man’s identity and arrested him. The Police also recovered 250 Euros from the man’s possession.

The man will be charged in court on 8 August 2026 for the offence of theft under Section 379 of the Penal Code 1871, read with Section 3(1) of the Tokyo Convention Act 1971. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

Assistant Commissioner of Police M. Malathi, Commander of Airport Police Division, said, “I commend Mr Wong for his keen observation and willingness to step forward, which were instrumental in the swift detection of the alleged crime. Due to the transient nature of air travel, such offences can often be difficult to uncover. His actions are exemplary and serve as an encouragement for others to remain vigilant and help ensure a safer air travel for everyone.”

AC M. Malathi, Commander of Airport Police Division, presenting the PSA to Mr Silas Wong

250 Euros were recovered