2 men nabbed over stealing perfumes worth hundreds of dollars in separate cases at Changi Airport

SINGAPORE – A 37-year-old Australian man and a 50-year-old American man have been arrested for stealing perfumes in two separate cases at Changi Airport, with one of them nabbed after transiting through Singapore more than eight months after the theft.

Both men are set to be charged in court on Aug 17, the police said in a statement on Aug 16.

The offence of theft in dwelling – theft committed in any building or residence – carries a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.

The police were alerted to the incident involving the Australian man on Nov 19, 2025, at about 6.45pm, after a retail assistant at a retail outlet in the transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 2 noticed two boxes of perfumes missing from a display shelf.

A review of CCTV footage showed the man taking the perfumes, valued at about $430, at 4.50pm, before leaving without making payment.

The suspect left the country before police officers were able to identify him, but he was arrested on Aug 4 when he transited through Changi Airport, more than eight months after the reported theft.

In a separate case involving the American suspect, the police were alerted to a case of theft on Aug 5, at about 1.25am, after a retail assistant discovered that a box of perfume was missing from a display shelf at a store in the transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 1.

CCTV footage showed that the American man took the perfume, which cost more than $310, and left without making payment, at about 12.40am.

Police officers managed to arrest him before he could board his flight.

Further review of the footage revealed that the man had also stolen a box of perfumes, valued at about $170, and a bottle of perfume tester that cost more than $230, from two other stores in the transit area.

All three stolen items, valued at more than $717, were recovered.

Assistant Commissioner of Police M. Malathi said on Aug 16 that the police take a serious stance against shop theft cases and warned that criminals will be held accountable for their actions.

“These cases serve as a reminder that advancements in CCTV technology and its widespread use by retailers have significantly enhanced the detection of such offences,” he said.

“Even where offenders initially evade detection, investigations will still lead to their identification and arrest.”

He added that the airport police unit will continue working closely with its stakeholders to prevent and deter shop theft at Changi Airport.