Mother and son set to be charged over theft at Changi Airport

SINGAPORE – A mother and her son are set to be charged on Sept 16 after they allegedly went on a shoplifting spree in the transit area of Changi Airport.

The 39-year-old woman and the 16-year-old, both Uzbekistan nationals, stole an assortment of items from retail stores in the transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 2 on Aug 28, according to the police.

In a statement on Sept 15, the police said they were alerted to a case of shop theft at around 6.40pm on Aug 28 after a retail assistant noticed that three pairs of sunglasses were missing from the store’s display shelf.

CCTV footage showed that the 16-year-old had taken three pairs of sunglasses worth around $1,500 at around 6.30pm and left the store without making payment, the police said.

After further investigations, the teenager was found to have stolen items with a total value of close to $5,000 from six retail stores in the transit area, the police said.

His mother allegedly stole a box of perfume valued at around $150 in a separate incident. She is also believed to have received a pair of stolen sunglasses from her son.

The police said officers from the Airport Police Division found the teenager with his mother before the pair could depart Singapore.

The three pairs of sunglasses, together with other items suspected to be stolen, were recovered from the pair, the police added.

The 16-year-old will be charged with six counts of theft in dwelling, while the woman will be charged with one count of theft in dwelling and one count of receiving stolen property.

Those found guilty of theft in dwelling can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both. Those convicted of receiving stolen property can be jailed for up to five years, fined, or both.