
Two American Nationals, Including Woman, Arrested for Shoplifting at Singapore's Changi Airport
Two American nationals, a 35-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, have been taken into custody on suspicion of participating in several theft incidents in the transit area of Singapore's Changi Airport.
The police said on Tuesday, July 22, that they were informed about the thefts, which took place on June 23, by staff members of The Shilla Cosmetics & Perfumes outlet at the airport's Terminal 1,
According to preliminary investigations, the man allegedly stole three bottles of perfume, totaling $488, and left the store without paying. Later, when the outlet's employees were doing a stock-take, they found the missing perfume bottles.
The police added that the two were arrested before they could leave Singapore after the airport police division's follow-up investigations revealed their identities. However, they did not say when the suspects were nabbed.
Additionally, it was discovered that the woman was allegedly acting as a lookout when the man stole a cardholder valued at S$596.33 from another retail establishment in Terminal 1 and a bottle of perfume valued at S$158.40 from another Shilla establishment in the transit area of Terminal 3.
The pair, who are anticipated to face charges on Wednesday, July 23, had all five stolen items retrieved, according to the police.
Police stated that they treat shoplifting cases seriously and that violators will face harsh consequences in line with the law.
"Offenders should not think that they can evade capture by quickly boarding a flight. The police will continue to work closely with stakeholders to prevent and deter shop theft cases," they concluded. Related topics : Singapore crime

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Man in India arrested for running a fake embassy
Police officials suggested that Jain had been running his racket since at least 2017, when he declared himself the representative of Westarctica. NEW DELHI – There are more than 100 diplomatic missions based in India's capital, New Delhi. What does it take to set up your own? Not much, if you ask Harshvardhan Jain, aka 'Baron H.V. Jain'. Rent a bungalow, hoist some flags, park a few luxury cars on the curb, photoshop yourself into pictures with world leaders, and – voilà! – you have your own embassy. Until you are caught, that is. Indian police arrested Jain, 47, on July 22 for running a fake embassy in a rented residential building in Ghaziabad, a city just outside New Delhi. This house, police said, alternately acted as the diplomatic mission for Westarctica or the Principality of Seborga or Poulbia Lodonia – depending on the day or the need or the hour. These entities, technically, are 'micronations' – self-proclaimed sovereign states that lack a legal basis for their existence, as they are not recognised by other countries. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Cambodia calls for ceasefire with Thailand after deadly clashes Asia 'Nothing like this has happened before': At least 16 dead as Thai-Cambodian conflict continues Multimedia Lights dim at South-east Asia's scam hub but 'pig butchering' continues Business Banking and finance jobs will change but won't disappear as AI becomes the new normal: Accenture Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Asia Hottest 'ticket' in Jakarta? Young Indonesians compete for a slot at singing club Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly For the better part of a decade, such legal inconveniences did little to undermine Jain's operation. Police said his building in Ghaziabad, with all its pomp and regalia, was the address for a range of criminal activities, from defrauding people of money by promising employment abroad to running a multinational hawala network – an informal system of transferring money that is illegal in India. Police officials suggested that Jain had been running his racket since at least 2017, when he declared himself the representative of Westarctica. His ambitions kept expanding from there. The micronation of Westarctica, in a statement on its website, said 'Mr Jain was an authorised representative engaging in unauthorized activities'. He had been made an 'honorary Consul to India' after he made a 'generous donation' to Westarctica, the statement said. The entity's website says it was set up in 2001 by Travis McHenry, an American citizen, while he was serving in the US Navy. He refers to himself as Grand Duke Travis. In a statement on Westarctica's Instagram page, Grand Duke Travis said 'Baron H.V. Jain' had been removed from the micronation's 'roster of diplomatic representatives'. In an e-mail to The New York Times, he added that Jain had been in possession of diplomatic number plates, passports and many other items bearing the seal of Westarctica, none of which he had been authorised to produce. For almost eight years, Jain had created for himself the 'aura' of an important man, said Mr Sushil Ghule, a senior superintendent of police involved in the investigation. 'An undiscerning layman will believe what he sees and cannot tell that it's all fraudulent,' he said. In the fake embassy, the police recovered 12 counterfeit passports representing different countries, 20 diplomatic license plates that had been obtained without authorization, stamps of government departments and agencies, forged documents and foreign currencies – all used to keep up Jain's persona of a well-connected diplomat. Police said that Jain had a master's from a university in London and that he was well-travelled, having established dubious companies in several countries before returning to India. The son of an industrialist, he was booked by police in 2012 for owning a satellite phone, which is prohibited for use in India without a licence. Mr Ghule said police were still looking into the extent of Jain's activity from the fake embassy. Have they reached out to Westarctica for help with the investigation? 'No,' Mr Ghule said. NYTIMES

Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
US designates group allegedly tied to Venezuela's Maduro for supporting gangs
The United States on Friday designated a group it said is tied to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for allegedly supporting the Tren de Aragua gang and Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, which the U.S. has named so-called foreign terrorist organizations. U.S. State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said in a post on X, which it later deleted, that it would use "all the resources at our disposal to prevent Maduro from continuing to profit from destroying American lives and destabilizing our hemisphere." The U.S. has alleged that the group, known as the Cartel de Los Soles, is made up of high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including Maduro. The U.S. in 2020 had already charged Maduro and his allies with drug trafficking. Venezuela's communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Maduro has repeatedly rejected the U.S. allegations as a smear campaign and said the U.S. must do more to reduce drug consumption. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the post, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs accused Maduro, whom the office called a "dictator," of leading the group to traffic narcotics into the U.S. The United States has previously argued that Maduro's election win last year was illegitimate and has an order out for his capture. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Cambodia calls for ceasefire with Thailand after deadly clashes Asia 'Nothing like this has happened before': At least 16 dead as Thai-Cambodian conflict continues Multimedia Lights dim at South-east Asia's scam hub but 'pig butchering' continues Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Business Banking and finance jobs will change but won't disappear as AI becomes the new normal: Accenture Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Asia Hottest 'ticket' in Jakarta? Young Indonesians compete for a slot at singing club Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly Maduro, president since 2013, was declared the winner of the country's July 2024 election by both Venezuela's electoral authority and top court, though detailed tallies confirming his victory have never been published. REUTERS

Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
US lawmakers want probe of Palestinian American killed by Israeli settlers
The U.S. Capitol building is pictured at sunset on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File Photo WASHINGTON - More than half of the Democrats in the U.S. Senate called on President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday to conduct an independent investigation into the death of Saif Musallet, an American citizen beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland led 28 other Democrats in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pam Bondi seeking an investigation, adding to pressure from Washington for accountability in Musallet's death. The senators also noted what they called the repeated lack of accountability in the deaths of other Americans killed in the West Bank since January 2022, and asked for updates on the status of investigations into those killings. Musallet, 20, whose full first name is Sayafollah, was severely beaten this month when he was visiting family in Sinjil. His family, who are from Florida, said medics failed to reach him for hours and he died before reaching the hospital. Settler attacks on Palestinians and Palestinian attacks on Israelis in the West Bank have risen since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023, though violence has long simmered in the territory. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on July 15 he had asked Israel to "aggressively investigate" Musallet's death, describing it as a "criminal and terrorist act." The comments by Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israeli settlement construction, marked a rare and pointed public intervention by the U.S. following the death of a Palestinian American in the Israeli-occupied territory. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Singapore urges all parties in Thailand-Cambodia border dispute to exercise restraint Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Life Hulk Hogan, who helped turn pro wrestling into a billion-dollar spectacle, dies at 71 Singapore Avoid water activities around Tuas Second Link, Raffles Marina after chemical tank accident: NEA Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B