Singapore Expats

Hi one of my friends husband was caught shoplifting at local ntuc by mistake he took 15$ item along with other paid items but they reported to police. He is living here on employment pass with no prior hsitory of any encounter with police or criminal charge. Do you guys think he will let off with a warning as he has no criminal record in singapore and is at a good position in shipping company. Pls share your thoughts

We have enough expats here behaving badly already. Hopefully they will toss him out as soon as he's convicted. If he has a good position and and good education, and he still shoplifted goods (there is no way you can "mistakenly" take something without paying for it), then he deserves to be tossed unceremoniously out of the country. Sounds like he was just unlucky this time and was actually caught.

Normally I think a warning could be expected but as a foreigner he chose a bad time to make a "mistake".

This woman is triple posting this. Can a mod delete most of posts.

Sorry pngmk, i just wanted opinion from multiple people..can you pls suggest how to contact IO ? Shall he approach police station directly or via lawyer ? Can you pls guide him..thanks

Is this an misunderstanding? He shoplifted just for $15 item?

He should have the IO's contact, a lot will be based on how repentant he is when the IO interviewed him.

Should have avoided this situation by admitting the mistake in the supermarket.

No IO didn’t gave his number, can anyone pls guide how to contact IO ?

Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks for helping in advance

You should not contact the IO directly. It's not the IO's decision - the IO writes up the case and sends it to the AGC who decides if there is prosecution should take place. Your "friend" should engage a lawyer ASAP.

Thanks PNGMK for such valuable information, yes have asked my friend to engage lawyer..can you pls also share how much time it takes for AGC to decide and then communicate to IO ?? Also is IO going to contact my friend once he hears from AGC ?? What is the normal procedure, he is very worried and can’t sleep also...

Once again many thanks for the valuable info.

Best regards sir

I am not a lawyer. Your friend should ask his solicitor these questions. In general I'd expect the AGC to respond within 3 months. There is nothing to be done except keep his mouth shut and follow his solicitor's instructions. He should not have even spoken to the IO or attending officers without his solicitor's guidance except to say "this is a terrible mistake, I did not steal these items, I need to speak to my solicitor".

A lawyer may cost a couple thousand but losing your EP is far more expensive.

Strange he accidentally mistook something from the shop and paid for the rest of the items.. if there were in the basket they would have been paid for, unless he slipped it in his bag. If he's been reported the police, then there will be a criminal record.

abbby wrote: ↑

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 11:11 am

Strange he accidentally mistook something from the shop and paid for the rest of the items.. if there were in the basket they would have been paid for, unless he slipped it in his bag. If he's been reported the police, then there will be a criminal record.

It's easy to do if you're not concentrating and not using a basket. I've not done it but come close to doing it. However the Loss Adjustment officers have a lot of leeway and experience in this and probably decided it wasn't an accident based on CCTV or following him around the shop or maybe just his attitude.

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 11:15 am

abbby wrote: ↑

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 11:11 am

Strange he accidentally mistook something from the shop and paid for the rest of the items.. if there were in the basket they would have been paid for, unless he slipped it in his bag. If he's been reported the police, then there will be a criminal record.

It's easy to do if you're not concentrating and not using a basket. I've not done it but come close to doing it. However the Loss Adjustment officers have a lot of leeway and experience in this and probably decided it wasn't an accident based on CCTV or following him around the shop or maybe just his attitude.

Hmm...that might be possible, perhaps when you're in a rush or on the phone.

Yes, it was very unfortunate, when he was leaving ntuc the police was on patrol and they overheard the conversation and intervened without any report from ntuc...so i would say it was a big mistake on his part and unlicky that police was standing near that ntuc...

do you guys think he can get a warning, he was very remorseful to IO and sorry for what has happened as he was very stressed out from work situations and didn’t slept properly.

Thanks for all your valuable inputs pls

No one know what is AGC decision.

I'm regular NTUC shopper. To miss out 1 unpaid item with many paid item is kind of "not easy".