Man arrested for allegedly shoplifting twice at Changi Airport
The man was arrested on July 24 when he was in Changi Airport while in transit for another flight.
SINGAPORE - An 82-year-old Australian man was arrested for allegedly stealing two boxes of perfumes at Changi Airport Terminal 1 .
In a statement on Aug 1 , the police said they were alerted to a case of shop theft at about 9.30am on M arch 18 in the airport terminal's transit area.
A box of perfume valued at $149 was found to be missing from a display shelf at The Shilla Cosmetics and Perfumes o utlet.
Officers from the Airport Police Division were able to identify the man through closed-circuit television footage. He was seen allegedly leaving the store with the unpaid item earlier on March 18, though he had already left Singapore.
Investigations found that that the man had also allegedly taken an other box of the same perfume from the same outlet , without paying for it, on March 13 . He had also left Singapore on that occasion.
The man was arrested on July 24 when he was in Changi Airport while in transit for another flight.
He is slated to be charged on Aug 4 .
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If found guilty of theft in dwelling , he faces a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
In their statement, the police said that they take a serious view of shop theft cases, and offenders should not think that they can evade capture by quickly boarding an outbound flight.
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AsiaOne
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Concealed in waistbands, pockets and more: Young partygoers continue to vape in clubs in Singapore, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — It was a Friday, and a snaking queue of young people had formed outside Drip Singapore in Orchard Road. At the entrance, a prominent sign made it clear — no vaping is allowed on the premises. After paying the cover charge, which can cost up to $30 each, partygoers were allowed in. Despite bag checks, The Straits Times saw patrons sneaking puffs on the dance floor and sending out plumes of smoke with distinctive aromas. They had managed to conceal their e-vaporisers, which have been banned in Singapore since 2018. ST visited Drip Singapore, which is located in Concorde Shopping Mall, on July 16 and 18. Despite the larger crowd on a Friday at Singapore's largest underground club, patrons did not appear to be bothered by the vaping activity around them. ST saw a man in his 20s using his phone to take photographs of partygoers as he casually puffed on his vape. Caleb (not his real name) said some partygoers take it outside, where they vape at designated smoking areas. '[The bouncers] don't really look into our bags. 'They usually poke a stick in or shine a torchlight inside our bags to make sure we are not bringing drinks in, and they just wave us through,' said Caleb, who clubs regularly at Drip Singapore and Zouk. But some e-vaporisers are small enough to be hidden, and they can also be made to look like everyday items. In Malaysia, the authorities have seized vapes made to look like a tube of glue or a stationery highlighter. A spokesperson for the building management at Concorde Hotel and Shopping Mall told ST that it strictly adheres to the Government's rules on vaping and smoking. The same scene played out at Zouk, a club in Clarke Quay, despite clear signs at the entrance warning against smoking and vaping. Three people were spotted vaping outside the club on July 18. It appeared little had changed when ST returned on Aug 1 to the establishment, one of Singapore's longest-running clubs, and saw patrons vaping inside. After taking a puff, two women stashed their vapes away in their waistbands, while others slipped their devices into their pockets. There was also a vape on the floor inside the club. ST saw a Zouk staff member confiscate a vape from a male patron after he was caught taking a puff inside the club. This was despite the Government announcing on July 20 more enforcement action and harsher penalties under the Misuse of Drugs Act for vapes laced with etomidate, a powerful anaesthetic. David Long, senior director of operations at Zouk, told ST that all customers are screened for prohibited items before they enter the venue. 'These inspections are performed by our trained security personnel, who are authorised to refuse entry if vaping devices or prohibited products are found,' he said, adding that clubgoers found to be carrying vapes will be removed from the venue. 'Cases involving repeat offenders are progressively escalated, including formal banishment from the outlet, if and when necessary.' When asked about clubgoers who were spotted vaping inside the club, Long said: 'There is a limitation to how invasive searches can be, (but) if someone inside is vaping, it gets addressed right away, and that means asking the customer to get rid of the vape before coming back.' A spokesperson for CQ @ Clarke Quay told ST that security personnel conduct regular patrols across common areas to deter errant smoking and vaping. 'We are working closely with the authorities to monitor the situation and maintain a safe environment for all visitors,' said the spokesperson. ST also witnessed young people vaping in the Prinsep Street area on July 18, where a string of smaller bars and clubs are located. When ST returned to the same area on Aug 1, there were a handful of people vaping outside the bars. The owner of Club FML — a bar along Prinsep Street — who wanted to be known only as Sam, told ST that vapes are prohibited inside his bar. Said the 35-year-old: 'We check every single customer before they enter, and my staff patrol the premises to ensure no one vapes inside.' Regular clubgoer S. Subhraaj claimed that vaping is rampant in clubs. He said the young find it more convenient than smoking. 'You don't have to go outside to vape, whereas for cigarettes, you have to go out [of the club] to smoke. 'It is popular because people want that nicotine kick to accompany the alcohol, and instead of walking all the way out, they can just do it on the spot,' said the 29-year-old content creator. But it is not only about the nicotine fix. Subhraaj, who has been warning about the dangers of Kpods on his TikTok channel, said he has seen people using Kpods inside Thai discos in Singapore. Kpods are vapes usually mixed with etomidate, an anaesthetic agent used in clinical practice to induce sedation. The drug is controlled under the Poisons Act. 'On one occasion, I saw a man standing outside a Thai disco trembling, like he had lost control of his body,' said Subhraaj. [[nid:720909]] He was moved to campaign on TikTok against Kpod use after his close friend Sheryl Soh died in September 2024. He claimed that Soh, 23, was a Kpod user. In the same month, 19-year-old Shermaine Tay was found dead at the foot of a Housing Board block in Tanjong Pagar, where she lived. Her father, Delfard Tay, told ST he believes her death is linked to her Kpod use. Patrick (not his real name), who works at a local club, said he has seen clubgoers who appeared to be in a daze while vaping. 'It is scary because it shows how accessible it is,' he said. 'I have seen my clients' friends shaking, and slurring their words and moving very slowly.' 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He also confirmed that several deaths here have been linked to etomidate abuse. [[nid:720786]] Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs to list etomidate as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in a few weeks' time. This means that abusers and traffickers of Kpods may be treated in the same way as those who abuse or traffic drugs like nimetazepam, also known as Erimin-5, with mandatory rehabilitation and jail time for repeat offenders. HSA has also extended the operating hours of its vaping reporting hotline, and launched a new online platform for the reporting of vaping activities. On July 30, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam announced that the ministry will second its officers to HSA to assist with enforcement efforts, including the supervision, treatment and rehabilitation of etomidate abusers. Members of the public can report vaping offences to the Tobacco Regulation Branch by calling 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, or online at Under current laws, possessing, using or buying vapes carries a maximum fine of $2,000. Anyone who distributes, imports or sells vapes and their components can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000. Those found in possession of or using pods containing etomidate can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $10,000. If you need help to quit vaping, you can join the Health Promotion Board's I Quit programme by calling the QuitLine on 1800-438-2000. National helpline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp) Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1 Women's Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm) The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm) Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252 Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555 Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366 We Care Community Services: 3165-8017 Shan You Counselling Centre: 6741-9293 Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990 (for those aged 13 to 25) (for those aged 12 to 25) ALSO READ: Tan Kiat How 'heartened' as vape disposal bin in Bedok half-filled in just 4 days This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
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Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The killing of Mr Islam has ripped through the New York Police Department with ferocity. NEW YORK - Inside a three-story Bronx mosque, dozens of New York City Police Department officers sat cross-legged on the floor. They were silent during a somber occasion: the funeral of one of their colleagues who had been killed in uniform just days before. The slain officer, Mr Didarul Islam, was shot on the night of July 28 after a gunman entered a Park Avenue office building in Manhattan and sprayed bullets across the lobby and then a floor upstairs, killing four people. The killing of Mr Islam, who was awarded a posthumous promotion, has ripped through the Police Department with ferocity. But the death had a particular resonance for the department's fast-growing community of Bangladeshi American officers. Mr Islam immigrated from Bangladesh about 16 years ago. 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Straits Times
2 hours ago
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South Korean's death after 3 consecutive company drinking sessions ruled work-related
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SEOUL – A South Korean court has ruled that the death of a worker following three consecutive company-related drinking sessions constitutes a work-related death, local media reported on Aug 3. The Seoul Administrative Court recently ruled in favor of the bereaved family of a worker who died from acute alcohol intoxication after attending consecutive company gatherings. The family had filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service's decision to deny survivor benefits and funeral expenses. The worker, who was in charge of sales management, was found dead in his car in the parking lot of his home at dawn on July 2, 2022. An autopsy determined the cause of death was acute alcohol intoxication from consuming a large amount of alcohol over a short period. It was confirmed that he drank on three consecutive nights from June 29 to July 1 at company events. On June 29, he attended a dinner with a client. The following day, he joined a gathering organized by a senior executive to promote camaraderie among employees. On July 1, he attended a dinner welcoming two newly hired foreign workers assigned to an overseas office. That night's expenses were more than 1 million won (S$926), exceeding typical company spending, and the participants split the cost. The key legal issue was whether the final gathering constituted a work-related event. The workers' compensation agency argued that it was not an official company event and that the sharing of costs by the participants indicated it was a private occasion. However, the court ruled otherwise, citing the nature of the relationship between the worker and the foreign hires, which required close cooperation. The court also noted that the worker was scheduled for a six-month overseas assignment and needed support from the newcomers. 'The drinking session likely had a strong work-related context, as it was held with the foreign workers to welcome his upcoming assignment abroad,' the ruling stated. 'It would have been difficult for him to refuse drinks under the circumstances, and the cost of 1 million won was excessive for a purely personal gathering.' THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
