Police Work With Retailers To Prevent Shoplifting During Festive Period

Shop theft cases up by 178 in first half of 2024, compared with same period in 2023

- Caelyn Tan

In 2023, the staff of Yue Hwa Chinese Products noticed an elderly woman repeatedly entering its Chinatown store and loitering near cans of abalone, but never buying anything.

They monitored her movements as they suspected she might be a shoplifter.

After six visits without making a single purchase, the store blacklisted her, with Yue Hwa's security team noting her photo from CCTV camera footage.

Chinese New Year falls on Jan 29, and the police said this period usually sees increased shopping activity.

Because of this and with shoplifting cases rising, the police are increasing shop theft prevention efforts through their Shop Theft Awareness for Retailers (Star) programme.

The programme sees retailers working with police officers on how to improve their anti-shoplifting measures.

One such business is Yue Hwa, which sells traditional Chinese food and beverage items, medicine, household products and clothing. Besides the Chinatown outlet, it has two others in Jurong Point and Nex in Serangon Central.

Shop theft cases increased from 1,849 in the first half of 2023 to 2,027 in the same period in 2024, a jump of 178 cases.

It was the most common physical crime in the first six months of 2024, with more than half of these cases involving stolen items worth less than $50.