Durian delivery worth S$400 stolen by customer who promised later payment
A Yishun durian shop had its delivery allegedly stolen by a customer.
Durian Kaki is a small business in Singapore selling durians. Its owner, 29-year-old Adam, told 8world News that the incident started on 12 Dec.
At around noon that day, a customer contacted Durian Kaki through WhatsApp and placed an order for an alleged company event.
The customer acted as if they were an old regular and said they needed 10 boxes of durians to feed 15 people.
Source: Durian Kaki on Facebook
Adam replied that six boxes should be enough but the alleged regular insisted on 10. They also haggled for discounts, which Adam felt was realistic for a frequent patron.
Ultimately, Durian Kaki settled on S$40 per box, for a total of S$400.
Since Adam trusted his regulars, he decided to allow the customer to pay after delivery.
He told Shin Min Daily News that he generally does not ask for full payment in advance from regulars. New customers, on the other hand, usually pay before delivery.
Durian delivery stolen in 12 minutes
At 5.37pm, the deliveryman arrived with the goods at the designated HDB flat. However, he reportedly found the place seemingly unoccupied with many untaken leaflets.
Source: Adam via 8world News on Facebook
Adam instructed the deliveryman to wait for some time and to take the durians back if no one collected them or paid. He also messaged the customer who confirmed that the unit was occupied.
After hanging the bags on the door and taking a photo, the deliveryman went downstairs for a smoke break.
Source: Adam via 8world News on Facebook
He returned 12 minutes later, only to find the 10 boxes of durians now gone.
As such, Adam requested e-payment from the alleged regular, who promised to do it by 7pm.
Despite this, they made no payment to Durian Kaki.
Adam became suspicious and asked them to pay before nighttime or he would call the police. This time, the customer refused to take any calls and blocked him on WhatsApp.
Source: Adam via 8world News on Facebook
Realising he had been scammed, Adam reported the incident to the police.
Durian shop warns others about scam
The Durian Kaki Facebook page made a post on 13 Dec, saying they were “heartbroken” at the customer taking advantage of their trust to scam them.
“As a small durian shop, we value every relationship and treat our customers like family. We never expected this.”
Durian Kaki warned other shops about the scammer, claiming the theft was planned and executed well.
The business said that while the experience stung, they would not lose faith in both their regulars and new customers.
“We believe in the goodness of people,” the post read.
The police confirmed with MS News that a report was lodged about the incident.
MS News has also reached out to Durian Kaki for more information.
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Featured image adapted from Adam via 8world News on Facebook.
