A man lost more than S$155,000 after several people bumped into him while he walked through an underpass along Orchard Road.
Police arrested five Filipino nationals for their alleged involvement in the theft, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a news release on Saturday (26 Sept).
While most of the money has been recovered, about S$3,000 remains unaccounted for.
Source: Google Maps
The man had just exchanged currency at a money changer on 25 Sept when he entered an underpass near Tang Plaza along Orchard Road at about 1.40pm.
As he approached the foot of an escalator, several unknown people bumped into him.
The man later discovered that someone had unzipped his haversack and stolen about S$155,600 in cash.
After the police were alerted, Tanglin Police Division officers conducted follow-up investigations and viewed images from CCTV and police cameras.
They identified five Filipino nationals — a man and four women aged between 31 and 57.
They were arrested within the same day.
Only about S$152,800 in cash was recovered and seized as evidence.
Source: Singapore Police Force
The five Filipino nationals were charged in court on Saturday with theft with common intention.
Under the Penal Code 1871, when several people commit a criminal act in furtherance of their common intention, each person is liable for the act as if they had committed it alone.
If convicted, they each face a prison term of up to three years and/or a fine.
The police said they will not tolerate such “brazen” criminal acts, and will “spare no effort” to apprehend offenders.
They will then be dealt with “in accordance with the law”, SPF added, advising members of the public to remain calm if they encounter such cases.
They should also note the perpetrator’s physical appearance and distinctive features and call for police assistance as soon as possible.
Also read: 4 male Chinese nationals arrested over theft cases at Marina Bay and Sentosa
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps and Singapore Police Force.