Man seen 'stealing' coins from Fountain of Wealth actually part of mall maintenance crew

A man seen collecting coins from Suntec City's Fountain of Wealth was thought to be taking his financial planning into his own hands.

Decked out in shorts, a singlet, and sandals, the man was caught on camera casually picking coins from around the fountain on the night of Sep. 24.

His actions were caught on camera and uploaded onto TikTok, where many speculated that he might be doing something "illegal".

@leticiatly_Ever wonder where your wishing coins go to? ⛲️🤑♬ original sound - Leticia Tang ✨ - Leticia ✨

"Collecting their wealth"

In the video, the man stood in the centre of the fountain diligently picking up coins.

He had a headlamp strapped to his head.

He then clambered over the railing to walk around the rest of the fountain.

The video panned over to reveal another guy walking around the fountain with his eyes trained on the ground, presumably also in search for coins.

"You can cover one day's meal with the coins collected here," the person taking the video said.

"Is this legal?" another voice quipped off camera.

Not thieves

Some people were amused by the idea that the Fountain of Wealth really did offer wealth to people who dared to take it.

But this narrative was soon debunked by Suntec City.

In response to Mothership's queries, a spokesperson for the mall said that management is aware of a video circulating online.

They confirmed that the men were contractors who had been tasked to clear the debris at the fountain.

"These regularly scheduled works are crucial to the smooth operation of the fountain and the safety of our visitors," the spokesperson said.

They added that the throwing of coins into the Fountain of Wealth is not encouraged.

Instead, visitors may participate in daily "touch water sessions", to soak up the positive "Qi'" energy by circling the fountain clockwise three times and stretching out their right hand over the water "with a silent wish".

Top images via leticiatly_/TikTok