$10,000 cash left on SBS bus miraculously returned to passenger within an hour

SINGAPORE: A passenger who accidentally left a bag containing $10,000 in cash on a public bus had the entire sum returned to him within an hour, thanks to the swift action of SMRT staff and a vigilant bus driver.

SBS Transit took to social media on Sunday (1 June) and shared that a passenger who had boarded bus service 39 discovered to his horror that he had left behind a bag carrying a significant amount of cash. In a panic, he quickly called the Tampines Bus Interchange in the hope that someone might be able to recover it.

On duty at the time was Choong Seong Kuong, Assistant Director of the Tampines Bus Interchange. Upon receiving the call, Mr Choong acted immediately, alerting the Operation Control Centre and initiating a search for the missing bag.

With prompt coordination, the team was able to track down the bus in question. The driver, Dong Depeng, was quickly contacted and informed of the situation. After being notified, Mr Dong began checking the bus and eventually located the bag.

Upon his return to the interchange, Mr Dong handed the bag over to Mr Choong, who personally ensured it was safely returned to the relieved passenger — all within the span of just one hour.

The passenger, whose identity has not been disclosed, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the team. “The staff fulfilled their duties with great responsibility and I’m extremely grateful,” he said.

Speaking about the incident, Mr Choong remained humble. “We didn’t think twice — it’s our duty to look out for our passengers. We’re just doing what’s right,” he said, smiling.