They steal iPad, then return to sell it to nearby shop

They allegedly worked together to steal an iPad Pro worth $1,188 from a Geylang shop before returning three hours later to another shop nearby to try and sell it.

Luckily, that shop owner had been alerted to the alleged theft.

The two suspects, together with a female companion, were later arrested by the police.

The incident happened on Monday at a mobile phone shop located between Geylang Lorong 14 and Lorong 16.

ON CAMERA: Closed-circuit television footage showing a man picking up an iPad Pro. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS

A shop assistant, who wanted to be known only as Mr Lee, 25, told Shin Min Daily News that the two men had walked past the shop at 2.30pm.

One of them then asked him about mobile phone repair services.

Mr Lee said he left an iPad Pro unattended on the counter as he answered the man's queries.

He said: "After the man realised that he could not repair his phone, he went to look at other products in the shop for about 30 seconds before leaving.

"That was when I discovered my iPad Pro was missing."

VIOLENT: The blood trail that was left behind. PHOTO: ​LIANHE WANBAO 

A check with the shop's closed-circuit television showed the man's partner taking the iPad Pro while he was not looking, Mr Lee said.

Mr Lee said he quickly alerted the other mobile phone shops nearby to help look out for suspicious characters.

Around 6pm, the two suspects, accompanied by a woman, appeared at a mobile phone shop near the first in an attempt to sell the iPad Pro.

But the owner realised it was the stolen iPad Pro, and called Mr Lee to go over.

ARGUMENT

A heated argument ensued.

Said Mr Lee: "I asked them if they stole it, but they flatly denied doing so.

"When I wanted to call the police, the man with spectacles became angry and whipped out a 25cm-long knife."

Mr Lee and three other workers grabbed the man while another two workers tried to wrestle the knife from his hands.

Amid the confusion, the man's partner was cut in his arm.

Mr Lee said he pleaded for his friend with the knife to be let off.

When they refused to let him go, the man's partner and the woman escaped, fleeing in the direction of Geylang Lorong 10.

Shin Min reported that the duo hid in a shophouse, but left behind a blood trail.

A witness told the evening daily that at 7pm, he saw the man's partner being brought down from the second storey of the shophouse, while the woman sat by the roadside.

Both were later taken away by the police.

A police spokesman told The New Paper yesterday that the three suspects were arrested for theft in dwelling.

Police are investigating.