A small camera shop along Haji Lane sparked online debate after releasing CCTV footage that appeared to show a 10-year-old boy slipping a camera into his pocket.
DigicamDiaries, the store involved, said it shared the footage only after hearing that the boy’s family had allegedly been avoiding contact with the police.
The incident took place on 8 July at about 7.40pm.
Source: @digicamsg on Instagram, for illustration purposes only
Shop owner Ms Qiu told Shin Min Daily News that staff discovered a missing camera while closing for the night.
When they reviewed the CCTV footage, they saw a boy browsing the shop with his mother.
While the mother stepped aside to take a phone call, the boy was seen placing a S$218 camera into his pocket before leaving the shop with her.
Source: @digicamsg on Instagram, for illustration purposes only
Police later identified the family using PayNow records from a small purchase the mother had made earlier that day.
Ms Qiu said she initially assumed the pair were foreign tourists and worried they might leave Singapore before they could be contacted.
After hearing that the family had allegedly been avoiding the police, and with no updates for weeks, she uploaded the CCTV clips to several social media platforms in hopes that the public could help identify them.
Around a month later, she received a call from a man claiming to be the boy’s father.
Source: @mynameisnotmin on TikTok
She said he did not apologise and instead questioned why the child’s face had been put online.
Screenshots of their conversation showed the father insisting the boy must not be called a “thief” or described as having stolen something, repeatedly emphasising that he was only 10 years old.
Source: @mynameisnotmin on TikTok
According to Ms Qiu, the father initially wanted to return the camera rather than pay for it.
But because the device had been out of the shop for more than a month and its condition could not be guaranteed, she asked that he purchase it instead.
The father requested that the online posts be removed first. Out of goodwill, Ms Qiu agreed, and he subsequently made payment for the camera.
She added that most shops along Haji Lane are small businesses and every loss is painful. Staff on duty that day even considered covering the loss out of their own pockets.
“We are grateful to the police for actively contacting the family, and to the public for helping to keep an eye out for shoplifting cases,” she said.
Since the store officially opened in March this year, it has encountered multiple theft cases.
Source: @digicamsg on TikTok
As a result, more than 10 CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the shop and its surroundings.
Previous incidents included customers taking money from the tip jar and coins placed on a decorative mascot, though the shop did not pursue those cases.
Ms Qiu said thefts are common in the Haji Lane area, so staff conduct checks when opening and closing the shop each day.
The store also stays in communication with neighbouring businesses to guard against further incidents.
Also read: Sengkang police appeal for information on 2 teens involved in shoplifting cases
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Featured image adapted from @digicamsg on Instagram (for illustration purposes only) and @mynameisnotmin on TikTok.