Men allegedly steal perfumes at Changi Airport: One arrested upon return months later, another nabbed before flight
On Aug 17, two men were charged in court for their suspected involvement in separate shop theft cases committed in the transit area of Changi Airport.
The first case involved a 37-year-old Australian man.
The police said they were alerted at about 6.45pm on Nov 19, 2025, to a shop theft at a retail outlet in Terminal 2’s transit area, when a store assistant noticed two boxes of perfumes missing from the display shelf.
A review of CCTV footage showed the Australian man taking the perfumes, worth about $430, at 4.50pm, and leaving without making payment.
While officers from the Airport Police Division (APD) established the man’s identity, he had already left Singapore.
He returned to Changi Airport on Aug 4 while in transit and was arrested.
Stolen perfumes worth $717 recovered from American man
The second case involving a 50-year-old American man was reported at a retail outlet in Terminal 1’s transit area on Aug 5 at around 1.25am.
The retail assistant had discovered a box of perfume missing from the store’s display shelf.
CCTV footage showed that the American man had taken one box of perfume, valued at more than $310, at about 12.40am and left without making payment.
Upon receiving the report, APD officers located the man and arrested him before he could board his flight.
“Through further review of CCTV footage, it was discovered that the man had also stolen one box of perfume, valued at about $170, and one bottle of perfume tester, valued at more than $230, from two other retail stores located in the transit area,” said the police in a news release.
All three stolen items, worth more than $717, were recovered.
If found guilty of theft in dwelling, the men face a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
The police said they take a serious stance against shop theft cases and will deal firmly with offenders in accordance with the law.
“These cases serve as a reminder that advancements in CCTV technology and its widespread use by retailers have significantly enhanced the detection of such offences,” they added.
“Even where offenders initially evade detection, investigations will still lead to their identification and arrest. Those who commit such crimes will be held accountable for their actions.”
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