A 69-year-old male Bangladeshi national was arrested for his suspected involvement in two cases of shop theft committed in the transit area of Singapore's Changi Airport.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) released a press statement and said that they were informed about a case of shop theft at "The Shilla Cosmetics & Perfumes" store located in the transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 3.
The SPF said, "Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had allegedly taken three lipsticks and a box of hair serum set, with a total value of S$294.70. He had allegedly taken those items from the display shelf and exited the store without paying."
"Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of CCTV footage, officers from Airport Police Division established the identity of the man. The man was arrested in the transit within an hour of the report, preventing him from departing Singapore. It was further revealed that the man had allegedly taken a bottle of perfume valued at S$153.10 from another Shilla store in Changi Airport. All five stolen items were recovered," the statement added.
The man will be charged in court on 1 July 2025 with the offence of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871. If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, a fine, or both.
Shop theft cases are taken seriously by the police, and those who commit them will face harsh consequences in line with the law. The police said that they will continue to work closely with stakeholders to prevent and deter shop theft cases, so criminals shouldn't believe that they can avoid capture by boarding a flight quickly.
