In a recent turn of events, seven men and three women, aged between 20 and 32, found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
They were arrested for their alleged involvement in a series of shop theft cases along Orchard Road and HarbourFront Walk. The stolen goods amounted to approximately S$6,800 worth of clothing.
Overview of the Shop Theft Cases
The police, in a press release issued on October 31, confirmed the arrests and provided some key details, revealing that more than 90 pieces of clothing were seized.
However, the exact locations of these alleged thefts were not disclosed, although it’s worth noting that HarbourFront Walk is home to the popular VivoCity shopping mall.
Details of the Arrests
The operation that led to these arrests commenced after an initial report on October 16, where an attempted theft occurred along Orchard Road.
Subsequently, police officers from the Tanglin and Clementi Police Divisions worked to identify the individuals involved, and through the use of police cameras and CCTV footage as well as ground enquiries, managed to establish the identities of the 10 alleged thieves involved.
An operation was then conducted on the 30 October, and the 10 suspects were then arrested for theft in dwelling with common intention in four additional cases of shop theft.
The police seized more than 90 pieces of clothing that were believed to have been stolen, with the total value of the stolen goods being about $6,800.
Police’s Swift Action
The police made it clear that they take crimes of this nature seriously. They vowed to spare no effort in apprehending offenders of such “syndicated acts of crime” and assured that they would be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law.
The 10 suspects will be charged in court on Wednesday (1 November) for theft in dwelling with common intention and attempting to commit theft in dwelling with common intention, and if found guilty, they face a potential jail term of up to 7 years as well as a hefty fine.