Three foreign nationals are set to be charged in court after allegedly stealing items from retail outlets within the transit areas of Changi Airport.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the suspects include a 60-year-old French man and two Indian women aged 59 and 61. The cases involved separate incidents that allegedly took place inside airport retail stores at Terminals 1 and 3.
Authorities said all three suspects were arrested before they could depart Singapore, with officers recovering the stolen merchandise shortly after investigations began.
The incidents have once again highlighted the extensive CCTV surveillance and airport security measures operating at one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs.
French Tourist Allegedly Took Luxury Sunglasses And Tea
In the first case, police were alerted on 22 April at about 2.40pm to a suspected shop theft at a retail outlet in the transit area of Terminal 1.
A store employee reportedly noticed that a pair of sunglasses had gone missing from the display shelf. Following ground investigations and a review of CCTV footage, officers from the Airport Police Division identified the suspect.
Police said footage allegedly showed the man leaving the store without paying for a pair of sunglasses worth S$751.38. Officers later arrested him before his flight departed from Singapore.
Investigators also allegedly discovered two stolen cans of tea valued at S$69.49 from another airport retail outlet in his possession.
The man is expected to face two charges of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code, along with an additional charge for fraudulent possession of property.
If convicted, the theft-related offences could result in a prison sentence of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
Two Women Accused Of Stealing Jewellery At Terminal 3
In a separate incident on 23 April at around 7.10am, police received another report involving missing jewellery items from a retail store in Terminal 3.
Preliminary investigations revealed that several bracelets and bangles had allegedly disappeared while a staff member was attending to another customer.
CCTV footage purportedly showed the two women taking three bracelets, three bangles, two rings, and one watch with a combined value of S$2,738.52 before leaving the store without making payment.
Airport Police officers tracked down and arrested both women before they boarded their departing flights.
The stolen jewellery items were later recovered. Investigations also allegedly found that the pair had earlier taken two toy cars and a keychain worth S$32.66 from another airport shop.
Both women are expected to face two counts each of theft in dwelling.
SPF Warns Shoplifters Against Attempting Crimes At Airport
SPF stated that it takes a serious stance against retail theft offences and warned that offenders should not assume they can escape detection within Singapore’s tightly monitored airport environment.
Police added that they will continue working closely with airport retailers and stakeholders to strengthen anti-theft measures and prevent future incidents.
The latest arrests also serve as a reminder that advanced surveillance technology, airport security systems, and rapid police coordination remain key parts of Singapore’s aviation security infrastructure.