A Bukit Timah resident was shocked to find the culprit behind his missing potato chips — a daring monkey who scaled six storeys to stage a daring raid on his apartment.

The brazen theft, caught on the resident's closed-circuit television on July 19 at 6.25pm, shows the monkey casually strolling into the living room through open balcony doors.

After a quick scan of the room, the clever critter makes a beeline for the coffee table, bypassing other snacks to grab a bag of potato chips. In a flash, the monkey escapes with its prize, leaving the resident to wonder if his eyes were playing tricks.

The resident said that it was a good thing he checked the footage, relieved he didn't mistakenly accuse his domestic helper of pilfering the chips.

He shared the incredible footage on the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group on July 21, only to discover that he wasn't alone in experiencing such audacious intrusions.

One netizen recounted her own tales of "several monkey invasions" through kitchen windows, forcing her to install extra grills for protection. These incidents, she revealed, even occurred with residents present just a few metres away.

While some netizens advised keeping windows closed, others saw the humour in the situation. One commenter jokingly requested the monkey's contact details, quipping "might have a few jobs for him".

The National Parks Board (NParks) reminds residents to monkey-proof their homes by installing grilles on windows and doors, keeping them closed when monkeys are spotted.

Food should be stored out of sight in cabinets or opaque containers, and using reusable bags instead of plastic grocery bags can also deter these opportunistic primates.

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This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.