Two teens arrested over theft of gold chains from jewellery shop in Chinatown
Two youths, aged 14 and 17, have been arrested for their suspected involvement in a case of theft from a jewellery shop in Chinatown.
The police, who were alerted to the case at 5.33pm on Sunday, said that the 14-year-old boy had posed as a customer and asked to see two gold chains.
He then allegedly ran out of the shop with both gold chains, but the shop owners managed to stop him.
Police said both chains were recovered, and the boy was arrested on Sunday.
Another 17-year-old boy, who had allegedly provided instructions to the younger boy on how to carry out the theft, was arrested in Fernvale Road, in Sengkang, on Monday.
Police investigations are ongoing.
The 14-year-old boy, who was wearing a face mask, allegedly walked into Chung Hwa Jade & Jewellery in Chinatown’s Park Road at around 5.30pm on Sunday and told Mr Teng Wei Siong, who was at the display counter, that he wanted to see two gold chains.
Mr Teng, 45, who runs the family-owned business along with his brother, told The Straits Times that he showed the boy two gold chains, but the youngster asked to see heavier ones.
The shop owner took out two other gold chains, reportedly worth about $23,000, to show the boy.
Closed-circuit television footage shared with ST showed that as Mr Teng turned his back to put the first pair of chains back, the boy took the second pair of gold chains and ran out of the shop.
Mr Teng turned around, saw what happened and gave chase. His brother, Mr Teng Wei Xin, 39, also ran after the boy and managed to catch him. The boy was taken back to the shop and they called the police.
The older Mr Teng said the first set of gold chains that was shown to the boy weighed 50g and 80g, while the second set of gold chains weighed 100g and 130g.
“I turned my back to the boy for a short while to put away the first two chains I took out and, the next thing I knew, the boy had snatched the two chains on the display case and ran,” he said.
“My brother and I have forgiven the boy, as we have already retrieved the stolen items. He is still young and he made a mistake,” said the older Mr Teng.
Those found guilty of theft in dwelling with common intention can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.
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