Man Allegedly Steals S$240 Worth Of Black Thorn Durians From Jurong East Stall

A durian stall in Jurong East was left counting its losses after a man was allegedly caught on surveillance cameras taking nine premium Black Thorn durians and walking away without paying.

The incident reportedly occurred at around 3:30am on June 14 at Hojiak Durians & Fruits in Jurong East. Staff only discovered the missing fruits later in the morning when they arrived to open the business for the day.

According to reports, employees noticed unusual gaps in the canvas sheet that had been used to cover a basket of durians stored outside the shop. Suspecting something was amiss, they reviewed the store’s CCTV footage and allegedly found evidence of a theft.

The footage showed a man lingering outside the premises during the early hours before approaching the basket containing the durians.

CCTV Footage Captures Alleged Theft

The man, dressed in a dark-coloured T-shirt and shorts, was reportedly seen pulling back the protective canvas covering the fruit basket.

As he did so, several durians tumbled out, apparently startling him and causing him to leave the area temporarily.

However, CCTV footage later showed the same individual returning about five minutes later carrying several plastic bags. After checking his surroundings to ensure nobody was nearby, he allegedly began placing durians into the bags before walking away.

The incident was captured entirely by the shop’s surveillance system, providing investigators with a clear record of what happened.

The stall owner subsequently lodged a police report regarding the matter.

Premium Durians Among The Most Expensive Varieties

Speaking to local media, the stall owner, identified only by his surname Zhou, said a total of nine Black Thorn durians were taken.

Black Thorn durians are regarded as one of Malaysia’s most sought-after premium durian varieties, particularly those originating from Penang. Their rich flavour and limited availability often command higher prices compared to more common varieties.

Zhou estimated the stolen fruits were worth approximately S$240. He noted that the current peak durian season had resulted in larger-than-usual stock deliveries, leading the shop to store some of its inventory in covered baskets outside the storefront.

While the stolen fruits were reportedly smaller-sized specimens, the loss still represented a significant amount for the business.

Stall Owner Recognised The Suspect

What surprised the owner most was that the alleged thief was not a stranger.

According to Zhou, he recognised the man from previous visits to the stall. The individual had been a customer in the past but had not patronised the business for more than a year.

The owner expressed confusion over why someone familiar with the stall would allegedly resort to stealing.

In an effort to identify the individual and encourage accountability, the store uploaded the CCTV footage to its Facebook page.

Zhou also shared that he would have been willing to help if the man had genuinely been facing financial hardship.

He said that if the individual had approached the stall and explained his situation, the business might even have given him some durians free of charge. Instead, he was disappointed that the fruits were allegedly taken without permission.

As of the latest update, the man had not returned to compensate the stall for the missing durians, and police investigations are ongoing.