Serial shoplifter caught at Changi Airport after hitting 8 shops, $2.6k worth of items recovered
A 45-year-old Australian man was arrested at Changi Airport for allegedly stealing items from multiple shops in the transit area on Sept 2.
The police said in a statement that they were alerted to a case of shop theft at about 7.40pm when a pair of sunglasses was reported missing from a retail outlet at Terminal 2.
A retail assistant had noticed the sunglasses gone from a display shelf and reviewed CCTV footage, which showed a man allegedly taking the item without paying.
Through ground enquiries and CCTV checks, officers from the Airport Police Division identified the suspect and detained him within an hour of the report, preventing him from leaving Singapore.
Investigations later revealed that the man had entered eight different shops and allegedly stolen various items, including sunglasses, bags, a Starbucks water bottle, luggage, a passport case, keychains and accessories.
The stolen goods, worth more than $2,600 in total, were recovered from his possession.
The man will be charged in court on Sept 26 with theft in dwelling. If convicted, he could face up to seven years in jail, a fine, or both.
Police said they take a serious view of shop theft cases and will deal firmly with offenders.
"Offenders should not assume that they can evade detection by attempting to leave the country quickly after committing such crimes," the police added, noting that they will continue working with stakeholders to deter shop theft at Changi Airport.
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