Bag shop near Waterloo St loses S$440 in overnight break-in, 26 items stolen but S$150 petty cash untouched

A bag shop along Rochor Road, near Waterloo Street, recently lost S$440 after burglars broke in and stole 26 handbags, wallets, and luggage.

Area generally has good security: shopkeeper

According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident took place on Mar. 4 at 149 Rochor Road, near Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple at Waterloo Street.

The shopkeeper, Bo Junru (transliteration), 36, told reporters that he has been running the business there for about 10 years, and while there had been instances of shoplifting, this was the first time a break-in had occurred.

Bo explained that when closing, he does not lower the shutters. Instead, he uses a weighed-down canvas to cover up his shop.

This is for convenience and because security in the area is generally good.

The shopkeeper said the practice had not led to any incidents in the past, and he was puzzled as to how the thieves knew they could enter his shop by simply pulling open the canvas.

He was also surprised that there did not appear to be signs of ransacking, even though there was S$150 in petty cash in the drawer.

Additionally, Bo revealed that while he had a closed-circuit television camera surveilling the shop premises, it would be turned off at the day's closing.

Hence, the theft was not caught on camera.

Unsure why his shop was targeted

Bo said he discovered multiple empty spots on his shelves where bags were supposed to be, which was how he realised his shop had been broken into.

"In that moment I felt down, but I went ahead to stock the shelves before making a police report," he added.

Bo also pointed out that the bags he sold were not branded and relatively cheap, so he did not know why he would be a target for burglars.

He has since decided to keep his CCTV on 24 hours in hopes of deterring future break-ins.

Police confirmed that a report was lodged and that investigations are ongoing, Shin Min wrote.

Shopkeepers typically do not go to police for shoplifting

Bo said, "In the 10 years I've been running the business here, I've had about 20 shoplifting cases. In those cases, if I caught them in the act, I'd make them pay on the spot, but I did not make a police report."

Another female shopkeeper, who did not want to be named, told Shin Min that she, too, had experiences with shoplifting but similarly did not make police reports.

Explaining this, she said the clothes they're selling are only around S$10. And if they lodge a police report, it will affect our business, "so we just have to stay vigilant when it gets busy."

Bo also told reporters that the chances of shoplifting go up whenever the area gets crowded, particularly during the first and fifteenth of the lunar month or during Chinese New Year, when devotees go to pray at the temple.

"It's especially crowded on big occasions. That's when shoplifters might take the chance to strike. So we have to keep an eye out and be careful whenever we see someone suspicious."

Top image via Shin Min Daily News