Compared to other major retailers, both Cold Storage and Sheng Siong recorded a higher average number of shop theft cases per outlet, and the biggest increase in shop theft cases compared to the same period last year.
“Sheng Siong has enhanced its CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera capabilities with features such as facial recognition technology, allowing it to better identify offenders.
“The SPF has traced many of the offenders for investigation using the CCTV footage and taken them to task,” the police added.
They also noted that the majority of the cases involving youths occurred at supermarkets, convenience stores, minimarts, personal care shops, as well as health and wellness shops.
SPF said it works closely with the Education Ministry by conducting crime prevention talks in schools and engaging school leaders through different platforms.
School advisories are also disseminated biannually before semester breaks, with shop theft highlighted as one of the offences.
THEFTS ELSEWHERE
Aside from shop theft, other top crimes of concern highlighted by the police include outrage of modesty, voyeurism and theft in dwelling.
Theft in dwelling accounted for 7.6 per cent of the physical crime cases in the first half of this year.
The number of cases increased to 788 from 744 during the same period last year – a 5.9 per cent rise.
Common items stolen include cash, jewellery as well as handphones, tablets and mobile accessories.
The rise was observed across most types of premises, but more noticeably at commercial premises and migrant worker dormitories, said the police.
The culprits were not known to the victims in the majority of the cases at commercial premises.
“In cases where the offenders were known to the victims, it was typically someone with whom they had a working relationship, such as ex-employees/colleagues, or service providers,” the police added.
Most cases reported at dormitories were committed by fellow dormitory residents who shared rooms with the victims.
Noting that theft in dwelling cases usually occurred in unsecured or unattended properties, the police advised the public not to leave their valuables unattended, especially in places accessible to others or in shared spaces.
