'Return the phone or we'll lodge police report': Yishun restaurant warns thief

A restaurant in Yishun has issued an ultimatum on social media to an opportunistic thief – return his mobile phone by 3pm on Monday (Nov 1) or he will lodge a police report.

A Facebook post on Oct 30 by Sanford Lim showed CCTV footage of a golden-haired man nicking the phone which was left unattended on a counter at Sawangwan Thai Cuisine.

Adding that the theft happened the previous night at around 8.05pm, the restaurant's manager Lim, 30, wrote: "I don't care whether it is pre-planned or a moment of folly. As long as they're willing to change, I will give them a chance."

In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao, Lim said that his colleagues were busy in the kitchen when the incident happened. He said that the thief took the opportunity to swipe a mobile phone that was used to manage the eatery's online takeaway orders.

Despite the Facebook post, Lim told AsiaOne on Monday that the thief has yet to show up with the stolen device.

"Maybe he doesn't read the news," he said, adding that he will stick to the deadline he had given the man. 

Netizens, however, have urged Lim to lodge a police report as soon as possible.

In June, a man who stole $800 from a grocery store in Yishun apologised and returned the cash after the store owner's Facebook post went viral on social media.

chingshijie@asiaone.com