The increase in shop theft cases may be a result of more widespread use of closed-circuit television (CCTV ) technology by retailers, the police said.  ,
This has made it easier for retailers to spot buy theft, even those that might not have occurred at the time of the incident.  ,
SPF added that it has also been using the improved monitoring capabilities of stores, such as physical recognition, to determine and track down buy theft criminals.
” For technology has enabled shops to better identify repeat offenders at their locations and help SPF apprehend them,” they continued.  ,  ,
” This enhanced capacity is a major barrier, even if the offenders manage to escape instant detection, they may still face consequences for their actions”.
Additionally, the police claimed they have been “actively engaging” young people to increase awareness of factory theft’s consequences.  ,
Working strongly with the Ministry of Education to employ different activities, such as holding school speaks at least once a month, is one way to do this.
To strengthen the emails of crime prevention, there are also targeted youth engagement programs.
Additional efforts to engage with the group, aside from students, include the Coffee with a Cop program, house visits and crime prevention deals.
Meanwhile, more than 1, 000 retail outlets have come on board the police’s Shop Theft Awareness for Retailers (STAR ) programme as of Dec 31, 2024.
FairPrice Group, one of Singapore’s big mall bars, joined STAR in November 2024, said SPF.
Additionally, it has expanded its engagement with Sephora, Popular, and Mustafa Center in Little India to totally embrace the program’s island-wide distribution channels.  ,
This development demonstrates retailers ‘ growing commitment to supporting joint efforts to combat store theft and improve their financial security, SPF added.  ,
SPF collaborates closely with suppliers to determine effective and practical crime prevention measures that can be implemented at the various shops in order to analyze their businesses ‘ risk factors and shop theft vulnerabilities.
For better deterrence and monitoring abilities, retailers like Popular have implemented enhanced in-store safety measures and surveillance signage.  ,