Four Vietnamese nationals charged over $19,000 shoplifting spree

Four Vietnamese nationals were arrested for the suspected theft of 868 items, the biggest haul to date involving a shoplifting syndicate. — ANN/The Straits Times/VNS Photo Viet Nam News SINGAPORE — Four Vietnamese nationals appeared in court on Tuesday accused of stealing SG$26,000 (US$19,000) worth of women’s clothes – the biggest haul by a shoplifting syndicate in Singapore to date.   The two men and two women allegedly stole almost 900 items – more than half of which were bras – and packed their loot inside tin foil-lined paper bags to avoid detection from anti-theft sensors.   Duong Tuan Dat, 27, and Van Tu Nguyen, 30, and their female alleged accomplices Tran Thi Phuong Thao, 29, and Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, 31, were each charged with one count of shoplifting.   According to court documents, they went to a Uniqlo outlet in Downtown East at around 1.30pm on Saturday and allegedly stole 50 items of winter wear worth almost SG$5,000 ($3,600).   The group were arrested after the manager of a shop in Pasir Ris Close alerted police, who studied closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and suspected that it was more than a simple case of shop theft when they noticed the group were carrying suitcases.   Officers from Bedok Police Division arrested the four in Chin Swee Road on Sunday.   Police said there were 529 bras among the 868 items stolen. Officers also seized several suitcases, pairs of pliers and hangers.   The commander of Bedok Police Division, Assistant Commissioner… [Read full story]