Vendors at Ghim Moh Market hit by spate of thefts in broad daylight; woman assisting with investigations

Vendors and stallholders at Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, located at Block 20 Ghim Moh Road, have been hit by a spate of thefts in the past two weeks.

Shin Min Daily News reported that at least five stalls were targeted, with the crimes committed in broad daylight. According to the report, police stated that a woman is assisting in their investigations.

One sundry goods vendor at the market told the Chinese daily that the series of thefts started on May 2, when several stall workers discovered their belongings missing. He added that on May 11, a box of cash was also stolen from a hawker stall.

The thefts happened on consecutive days, with the thief striking at different stalls, said the 56-year-old man, surnamed Wu.

One stall assistant from Malaysia had her salary, passport and work permit stolen and was so anxious that she broke down, Wu described.

He added that his wife's bag were also stolen on May 5.

"My wife's waist pouch was stolen and we made a police report. Many police officers came that day to investigate and we thought because of this, the thief wouldn't dare strike again," said Wu.

However, Wu was soon proven wrong.

He shared that on Thursday (May 11), the owner of a Teochew porridge stall found that a box of cash had been pilfered.

The stall's 60-year-old owner, surnamed Zhuo, told Shin Min Daily News that he was washing the dishes while another worker went to the toilet that day. One other assistant was present and standing in front of the stall, but it's not clear how the box went missing.

"The cash box is usually placed on the counter and the thief would have to weave through us," said Zhuo, adding that it is the first time in his eight years of running the business that such an incident has occurred.

Zhuo stated that the box contained about $300, and that they intend to install CCTV cameras to deter would-be thieves.

A fruit stall vendor who had his bag containing over $100 stolen as well shared that his belongings were placed at the bottom of a shelf and covered with a piece of cloth.

While it was the first case of theft he's experienced in five years, another worker at a vegetable stall nearby wasn't so lucky.

The woman told Shin Min Daily News that her stolen bag had contained only about $10 and some medicine, but stated that the incident "wasn't the first time". 

Gone in less than two minutes

Wu described how the day his wife's pouch was stolen, she had simply placed the bag on the counter and walked about 100m from the stall to buy a drink. He added that the time taken couldn't have been more than two minutes.

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About an hour later, after police arrived, the waist pouch was found discarded beside a bak kut teh stall. The bag had been emptied of over $100 in cash, and only her credit and identity cards remained.

"We guessed the thief must have panicked after seeing so many police officers and decided to leave the pouch behind. Of all the victims, we were the only ones to get our bag back."

When contacted by reporters from Shin Min Daily News, police stated that a 40-year-old woman is currently assisting in their investigations.

Wu stated that police had shown him CCTV footage showing a woman wearing a hat, sunglasses and a mask taking his wife's pouch from the stall. He added that the woman looked like she was holding other items as well.

"From what I know, not everyone reported the thefts to the police. But I wanted to make it known so others will be careful, because there are just too many victims," said Wu.

candicecai@asiaone.com

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