American man jailed for stealing Chanel perfumes at Changi Airport

Passengers queue at the departure hall of Changi Airport Terminal 3 in Singapore. Photo by Reuters

An American citizen who stole three bottles of Chanel perfume from Singapore's Changi Airport and fled the country in 2025 was arrested nearly a year later upon his return.

Kai Clifford Hiroshi, 48, was sentenced to 21 days in jail on Nov. 6 after pleading guilty to two counts of theft, The Straits Times reported.

The offenses took place on Nov. 4, 2025, when Kai arrived at Terminal 3 to catch a flight to San Francisco.

At around 7:40 p.m., he entered a Shilla Cosmetics and Perfumes store, took a bottle of Chanel perfume priced at S$331 (US$258) from a display shelf, and walked out without paying.

Less than an hour later, he visited another Shilla outlet in the same terminal and stole two more bottles, valued at a combined S$453.

Store employees did not immediately notice the missing items, allowing Kai to board his flight and leave Singapore unhindered.

The following day, staff discovered the missing perfumes and reviewed security camera footage, which captured Kai taking the products. They subsequently filed a police report.

Kai was arrested upon arriving back at Changi Airport on Sept. 25, 2026. He confessed to the offenses and was formally charged, according to an announcement made last month by the Singapore Police Force.

The court heard that Kai has fully compensated the stores for their financial losses, although the stolen perfume bottles have not been recovered.