Man charged over perfume theft spree at Changi Airport

Further investigations revealed that he had swiped three more boxes of perfume, totalling $646, from two retail outlets in the transit area of Terminal 2 later that day, before flying out of Singapore.

Airport Police Division officers identified the suspect, but he had left Singapore by then.

The suspect struck again about five months later.

During a layover at Changi Airport on April 24, 2026, he took two more boxes of perfume, valued at $236.90 and $195.40, from two shops between 7.15am and 7.21am before departing on his connecting flight.

Officers from the Airport Police Division caught up with him on Sept 25 when he transited through Changi Airport.

The man will be charged on Oct 8 with five counts of theft in dwelling. If convicted, he can be jailed for up to seven years, fined or both.

“Offenders should not assume that leaving Singapore after committing an offence will allow them to evade the law,” said the police, emphasising its zero-tolerance stance on shop theft.

The authorities added that they take such crimes seriously and will continue to work closely with airport stakeholders to prevent, detect and deter shop theft at Changi Airport.