Thieves try to take TV sets from Giant

Thieves try to take TV sets from Giant

SINGAPORE - Two men tried to steal three TV sets in broad daylight.

They targeted the Giant hypermart in Bukit Panjang Junction 10 on Monday morning and were caught red-handed.

Mr Wilfred Lim, a tuition teacher, was on the second floor of the shopping centre when he saw one of the men carry a TV out of the hypermart at about 11.30am.

Mr Lim, 26, told The New Paper that he saw two female Giant workers approaching the man, presumably to ask the man if he had paid for the item and that was when the action started.

"The man immediately threw down the boxed TV set and ran, with the two workers hot on his heels," said Mr Lim.

Three workers at the entrance of the shopping centre, who heard the commotion, caught him.

NOT A CHANCE

"The workers were quite big-sized, the man didn't stand a chance. They pinned him to the ground and he struggled for 15 minutes before he was subdued," said Mr Lim.

"When asked why he wanted to steal the TV, he said he needed to feed his children...then he said that he didn't care if he went back to jail."

Mr Lim added that the man, who was in his 30s or 40s, was dressed in a yellow jacket and denim jeans. He was initially walking very calmly and confidently with the TV.

His accomplice tried to carry away two other TVs from the first-level entrance of Giant. He, too, dropped the TVs and ran when members of the staff chased after him.

He got away, only to return when he realised his counterpart had been caught.

A spokesman for Giant said that the men had tried to steal three TV sets - two 19-inch sets, and a 24-inch LCD set. - worth $662.

This is the first time anyone has tried to steal a TV set from the supermarket chain, the spokesman added.

All three TVs were recovered intact.

A police spokesman said: "Police received a call on March 10, at about 11.36am, requesting for assistance, at a shopping mall along Woodlands Road. Upon police arrival, two male subjects were arrested for shop theft."

Police investigations are ongoing.

ckwong@sph.com.sg


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