Two Indian women arrested for stealing items worth SGD 635 at Changi airport

Two Indian women transiting through Changi airport in Singapore were detained for allegedly shoplifting items at different stores in the transit area, police said on Monday.

Both women, aged 29 and 30, were detained before they could flee the country, as reported by The Straits Times.

Police nabs accused within an hour

According to the report, the thefts took place on June 2 in the departure transit area of Terminal 3 of the Changi airport. 

Police were alerted to the suspected shoplifting and, with the help of CCTV footage, they were able to identify the two suspected women shoplifters.

The police arrested both women within an hour of the crime. 

Stolen items include…

Authorities recovered a purse, a backpack and a bottle of perfume, all allegedly stolen and found in women’s possession. The total value of the three items was SGD 635 or USD 494, The Straits Times reported.

The purse was found on the younger woman, and a black haversack and a bottle of perfume were in the luggage of the older woman.

The women are expected to be charged in court on June 10. If convicted, both of them can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.

“The police will continue to work closely with stakeholders and the community to prevent and deter cases of shop theft,” reported The Straits Times.

Past incidents

In another incident, a 35-year-old Australian woman was fined $750 after pleading guilty to stealing a bottle of Chanel perfume worth nearly SGD 250 from a duty-free store at Changi Airport two years ago. 

The incident, which took place on March 22, 2023, led to her detention when she returned to Singapore on March 31, 2025, as reported by The Straits Times.

The most recent case of reported shop theft at Changi Airport was in May, when a British man was arrested for allegedly stealing more than SGD 2,900 worth of items.