6 schoolgirls from Australia arrested for allegedly shoplifting from lingerie store at Orchard Road

[Updated, 8.12pm]:

In a statement provided to AsiaOne, the police said that they were alerted to a case of theft in dwelling at 333A Orchard Road on Nov 13 at 4.04pm. Six teenagers aged 14 to 16 were arrested in relation to the case. Police added that investigations are ongoing.

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Five girls from an elite private school in Australia were arrested for allegedly shoplifting at Orchard Road on Sunday (Nov 13) while on a school trip to Singapore, reported several Australian media outlets on Tuesday.

The students are from Bacchus Marsh Grammar, a private school located north of Melbourne and said to command fees of around A$13,000 (S$11,995) a year, NCA Newswire reported.

The group comprising 18 students was here as part of an eight-day regional netball tournament and had arrived in Singapore on Saturday, Daily Mail Australia reported. The trip would have cost their parents about A$3,300 per child.

According to news reports, the five Year 10 girls (who would generally range in age from 15 to 16) had allegedly stolen items from a Victoria's Secret store at Mandarin Gallery as well as from a Crocs store along Orchard Road.

CCTV cameras had caught them stashing away expensive undergarments at Victoria's Secret and leaving without paying, Daily Mail Australia reported. 

They were apprehended by police while still within the Mandarin Gallery shopping mall and brought back to the store, the report added.

A source shared with the Herald Sun said that the five of them had spent more than 10 hours "in cells" after being arrested and were "okay", but were understandably frightened and distraught.

They'd returned to the hotel at 3.30am on Monday but had been travelling "back and forth" from their place of accommodation to the police station.

The source added that the incident had left their fellow schoolmates "shattered" and "very sad".

The Daily Mail also reported that two other students were questioned by the police but were not taken into custody.

Police investigating

The school's principal, Andrew Neal, in a statement to media on Tuesday, said that "a small group of students have found themselves involved in an incident in Orchard Road".

Sharing that the matter is being investigated by the Singapore police, he expressed appreciation for the professionalism of the local police and that they were "firm, fair and thorough".

"It is our hope that the police will have finalised their investigations of this matter by later this week," he said.

In the statement that was also received by AsiaOne in response to our queries, he added that the girls "are currently in the direct care of Bacchus Marsh Grammar school staff and we look forward to them returning with the group later in the week". 

"The school would like to thank the Australian Embassy staff in Singapore for the support of our staff in Singapore and their ongoing assistance in this matter."

Under Singapore's law, those convicted of theft may face a jail term of up to three years, or a fine, or both.

candicecai@asiaone.com

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