SINGAPORE: A 36-year-old man was sentenced to eight months in jail last Friday (Dec 1) for stealing products worth over S$18,000.
Ng Chi Chiu was convicted of stealing S$17,660 worth of Apple products and perfumes worth S$593. He was convicted of three charges: one charge of theft in dwelling and two amalgamated theft charges in dwelling. Two other charges were also taken into consideration during sentencing.
According to a press statement by the police, they received a report on 12 May 2023 about a series of thefts from three Apple outlets between 16 Jan 2023 and 17 April 2023. Investigations revealed that the man had stolen multiple Apple products amounting to about $17,660 from those outlets. Further investigations revealed that on 17 March 2023, the man had also stolen bottles of perfumes amounting to $593 from the Shilla Duty-Free shop located at Changi Airport Terminal 3 Departure Transit Central.
Through extensive ground enquiries and close collaboration between the Jurong Police Division and the Airport Police Division, Ng’s identity was established. He was arrested on 25 Oct 2023 and charged in court on 27 Oct 2023. The police added that they “take a serious view of shop theft cases and offenders will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law. The Police will continue to work closely with stakeholders and the community to prevent and deter cases of shop theft. The Police would also like to remind retailers to remain vigilant against shop thieves, especially when large crowds are expected. Retailers are advised to adopt the following measures:
- Ensure a good line of sight for displays by using an appropriate shop layout;
- Display advisory posters or signage against shop theft;
- Display expensive merchandise in locked showcases or at prominent locations (e.g. near cashier counters);
- Install CCTVs with recording system at the entrance/exit of the store to capture the facial features of shoppers; and
- Deploy adequate security personnel to patrol the premises in luminous vests for deterrence”.
Read related: Maid steals employer’s diamond necklace and shows it off in TikTok video
A maid was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail on Nov 21 for repeatedly stealing from her employer and even making videos online to show off the items she had stolen. The maid, 35-year-old Indonesian national Yuni Lestary, faced three theft charges. She pleaded guilty to two out of three of them, and the remaining charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.
The maid was employed in 2019 and had been tasked to take care of her employer’s children and perform household chores such as cleaning and changing the bedsheets. During her employment, she had been caught stealing multiple times by her 43-year-old female employer. When confronted about the thefts, the helper reportedly apologised and implored her employer to let her off the hook. Her employer obliged and allowed her to continue working.