Foreign student who shoplifted at Changi Airport fined

SINGAPORE — While transiting at Changi Airport on her way home, a foreign student decided to go on a shoplifting spree, stealing a designer bag worth over S$1,000 and other items.

On Wednesday, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan was fined S$1,800 after admitting to three counts of theft. Another four similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

On the morning of June 3, the 20-year-old Vietnamese student, who was studying in Japan, pilfered S$1,665.53 worth of items from shops in Terminals 2 and 3 while in transit. Among the items she stole were powdered foundation, lipsticks and a bottle of perfume. 

The most expensive item she took was a brown Longchamp sling bag valued at S$1,046.73 from the designer outlet at Terminal 3. 

The shop assistant, who realised that the bag was missing only 20 minutes after Nguyen had walked off with the item, made a police report.

Nguyen was later traced through closed-circuit television footage and arrested. All the stolen goods were recovered.

In court on Wednesday, Nguyen, who had been in remand for the past six days, said through a Vietnamese interpreter that she was “sorry for the offence” and wished to return home as soon as possible as her father was unwell. 

In sentencing Nguyen, District Judge Olivia Low imposed the S$1,800 fine, or an eight-day jail term in lieu. The Vietnamese chose to serve the jail term. For committing theft, Nguyen could have been jailed up to three years per charge, and/or fined.