A 47-year-old American man was arrested at Changi Airport months after allegedly stealing five boxes of perfume worth approximately S$1,409 from retail outlets in the airport’s transit area.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the thefts took place in November 2025 and April 2026. The man was eventually arrested on Sep. 25, 2026, during a planned operation when he transited through Singapore.
He was scheduled to be charged in court on Oct. 8 with five counts of theft in dwelling.
Perfume Theft Detected At Terminal 2
Police were first alerted to the case after a retail assistant discovered that a box of perfume was missing from a display shelf on Nov. 5, 2025.
Investigations and CCTV footage subsequently revealed that the man had allegedly taken a box of perfume worth S$331 from a retail outlet at around 7.40pm on Nov. 4 without making payment.
Further investigations found that he had allegedly stolen three additional boxes of perfume worth a combined S$646 from two retail outlets in Terminal 2’s transit area later that day.
Although the man had already left Singapore, officers from the Airport Police Division managed to identify him through their investigations.
Suspect Allegedly Stole More Perfume During Transit
The man allegedly returned to Changi Airport on Apr. 24, 2026, while travelling on a connecting flight.
At around 7.15am, he allegedly took a box of perfume worth S$236.90 from a retail outlet without paying.
Five minutes later, at approximately 7.20am, he allegedly took another box of perfume worth S$195.40 from a second outlet.
He subsequently departed Singapore again.
The combined value of the perfume allegedly stolen across the two incidents was approximately S$1,409.30.
Arrested During Planned Operation At Changi Airport
Despite having left Singapore after the alleged thefts, the man was arrested several months later when he transited through Changi Airport on Sep. 25.
The SPF said the arrest was carried out during a planned operation by officers from the Airport Police Division.
If convicted of theft in dwelling, an offence under Singapore law, he faces a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both for each charge.
The police also reminded the public that leaving Singapore after allegedly committing an offence does not mean an individual can evade the law.
They added that they would continue working with airport stakeholders to prevent, detect and deter shop theft at Changi Airport.