Ten people, aged between 20 and 69, will be charged in court on Thursday, November 20 for their alleged roles in separate shop theft cases reported across multiple supermarkets and retail outlets.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Wednesday, November 19, that the incidents span several months and involve thefts from stores including Sheng Siong, NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage, and various retail shops at shopping malls such as Ngee Ann City and Plaza Singapura.
The police investigations and CCTV footage— including facial recognition (FR) technology in some cases—played a key role in identifying the suspects.
In one case, a 20-year-old man is accused of repeatedly stealing food items from a Sheng Siong outlet at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3. Police arrested him two days after the latest incident on September 14, and investigations linked him to two earlier thefts in June and August. He faces three counts of theft in dwelling.
A 50-year-old woman will also be charged after allegedly stealing bottles of red wine from a Sheng Siong store at Punggol Central. She was recognised and stopped by staff thanks to the chain's FR-enabled CCTV system. The police believe she had taken a total of 22 bottles worth more than S$640 between September 2 and 11.
At Clementi Avenue 3, a 67-year-old man accused of stealing 20 cans of beer from a FairPrice outlet on August 15 will also face charges. He had previously been issued a 24-month conditional warning for earlier theft cases but was identified again through follow-up investigations.
In another case, a 54-year-old woman allegedly lifted S$167 worth of groceries from FairPrice at Yew Tee Point on August 11. She was detained by security personnel before the police were alerted.
A 57-year-old woman will likewise be charged with two counts of theft after allegedly stealing clothing items worth more than S$600 in total from a Ngee Ann City retail store on two separate occasions in July and August.
The SPF also identified a 61-year-old woman who allegedly stole food items from a Cold Storage outlet at West Mall on June 30 and July 1. Investigations linked her to a combined total of about S$35 worth of stolen goods.
Another woman, aged 44, was detained on October 1 after Sheng Siong's FR CCTV system flagged her as a person of interest. She is said to have stolen items worth about S$90 from the Sin Ming Avenue outlet over several visits earlier in the year.
A 23-year-old woman is alleged to have stolen a S$250 toy figure from a store at Plaza Singapura in April. Police arrested her two days later.
In yet another case, a 68-year-old woman is accused of stealing from multiple stores on the same day. She was detained at Ang Mo Kio Hub after allegedly taking S$136 worth of groceries from FairPrice. Further checks linked her to the theft of a S$50 bag from a BATA outlet at the same mall, as well as a separate skincare theft at People's Park Complex in March.
Finally, a 28-year-old woman will face 10 charges after allegedly stealing items worth about S$237 from an NTUC FairPrice outlet at Canberra Plaza over several visits between March and April.
The Singapore police noted that most of the suspects were caught either through in-store vigilance or CCTV systems. Two were specifically identified using facial recognition technology that some retailers have begun adopting to deter persistent shoplifters.
Authorities reminded retailers to stay alert, especially during the year-end school holiday period when stores typically experience heavier footfall. Recommended measures include maintaining clear lines of sight, securing high-value items, deploying CCTV cameras at entrances, and increasing staff patrols during peak hours.
Police also encouraged retailers to join the Shop Theft Awareness for Retailers (STAR) programme, which helps businesses review risks and adopt tailored crime prevention strategies. Major chains such as NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Watsons, and Popular are among those already participating.
The offence of theft in dwelling carries a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment and a fine.
