Serangoon durian store supervisor allegedly helped man steal about S$50,000 from store's cash box

The supervisor of a durian store in Serangoon is suspected of working with a man in his sixties to steal about S$50,000 from the business, according to the store owner.

Supervisor had worked with them for 10 years

According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident allegedly took place at Lexus Durian King, located along Upper Serangoon Road, and was discovered after the store's closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage was reviewed on Jan. 21.

The owner of the store, surnamed Su (transliteration), said her brother, who manages daily operations, was the one who uncovered the suspected theft when checking recordings from the store's surveillance cameras.

She added that the man involved was acquainted with her brother, while the supervisor had worked at the store for about 10 years.

Su shared that though the supervisor's shift typically ended at around 9pm or 10pm, he would often remain until around midnight to assist staff on the night shift.

Supervisor allegedly opened the savings box for the man

Su told Shin Min that CCTV footage reportedly showed the man visiting the shop almost every night between 11pm and midnight and taking cash from a cash box.

In footage taken on Jan. 15, the supervisor was seen standing near the box before opening its lid and walking away, after which the man allegedly approached and took several S$10 bills from the box.

Su said the CCTV system only stores recordings for 10 days, but during that period, the man appeared to take money daily, with the supervisor present each time.

According to Su, the man stopped appearing at the shop after the supervisor was questioned, leading the owners to suspect the pair were acting together.

She added that night-shift workers who witnessed the incidents did not intervene, believing the actions had been authorised by the supervisor.

A police report was subsequently lodged, with losses estimated at around S$50,000. Su said the thefts may have gone on for as long as a year, potentially bringing total losses to about S$100,000.

In response to Mothership's queries, police confirmed that they had received a report and that investigations were underway.

Man claimed to be acquainted with the shop's employees

When contacted, the man told Shin Min he was acquainted with the shop’s employees and claimed he had taken money for meals and expenses, alleging that Su’s brother had allowed him to do so.

Su said her brother had previously helped the man financially and had even lent him a lorry for delivery work during difficult periods.

The man added that he was prepared to return the money if required, though he did not specify how much money he had taken.

Supervisor has been dismissed

Su said the supervisor, a Malaysian national, was dismissed on Feb. 6 and his work permit was cancelled, Shin Min reported.

He has also reportedly been called in for police questioning.

Su added that she felt disappointed and saddened by what happened, as the supervisor had worked with them for many years.

To prevent similar incidents, she said the shop has introduced additional safeguards, including installing locks on cash boxes and requiring night-shift staff to closely monitor cash holdings.

Top photos from Shin Min Daily News