14-year-old boy allegedly snatches 2 gold chains as Chinatown jewellery store owner turns around

SINGAPORE - The police on Sunday (April 23) arrested a 14-year-old boy who allegedly snatched two gold chains worth $23,000 off the counter of a jewellery shop in Chinatown when the store owner turned away for mere seconds.

The boy, who was wearing a face mask, walked into Chung Hwa Jade & Jewellery 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 to show the boy.

As Mr Teng turned his back to put the first pair of gold chains back in the case, closed-circuit television footage shows the boy snatching the second pair of gold chains and running 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.

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The police said that they were alerted at around 5.30pm on Sunday to the incident which happened in Park Road in Chinatown and arrested the 14-year-old on the same day.

The first set of gold chains that was shown to the boy weighed 50g and 80g, said the older Mr Teng. The second set of gold chains which were snatched weighed 100g and 130g and had an estimated value of about $23,000.

“I turned my back to the boy for a short while to keep the first two chains I took out and, the next thing I knew, the boy snatched the two chains on the display case and ran,” he said.

He added: “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.”

The police are investigating.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.