2 men arrested for stealing from shopkeepers

SINGAPORE - Two men have been arrested on suspicion of stealing from stores while pretending to be customers and distracting shop keepers with questions.

The two men, aged 51 and 55, are believed to be involved in at least three cases of theft reported.

Police said they received several reports of bags being stolen from stores while the shopkeepers were attending to customers in their shops. The victims in each of these cases said they encountered two male customers during the thefts. One of the customers would distract the shopkeeper with questions while the other looked around in the shop.

The victim would only discover that his or her bag had gone missing after both men had left the store without purchasing anything.

The earliest case was reported in June.

While the suspects were identified after investigations, they remained elusive until September 3, when they were spotted at Woodlands Checkpoints and placed under arrest.

The two men are believed to have struck another two shops at Chong Pang before they were arrested.

Cash from a shopkeeper's stolen purse was recovered and seized from the suspects.

Both suspects will be charged on Friday. If convicted, they face up to three years in jail and/or a fine.

ljessica@sph.com.sg