The Workers' Party (WP) has responded to a statement by the People's Action Party (PAP) on Thursday (July 3), which raised concerns over WP secretary-general Pritam Singh's recent media engagement with Malaysian political podcast Keluar Sekejap. In its statement titled 'PAP opposing for the sake of opposing', WP said that public perception in Singapore to the podcast has been positive.«It exemplified how a non-government Singaporean politician can speak fairly and frankly about Singapore and the Singapore government, without denouncing either.» Doubling down on its assessment that the podcast was well-received, the party said that it was aware one PAP member had remarked that «Pritam did well». It also said that other PAP members had happily posed for pictures with one of the podcast's hosts when the latter was in Singapore over the weekend, suggesting that Singh's appearance on the podcast «had no detrimental impact whatsoever on Singapore's national interests».

Enforcement of the new pedestrian-only paths will be «reasonable», Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng assured in a Facebook post on Wednesday (July 2).Beginning on Tuesday, cyclists as well as motorised and non-motorised personal mobility device (PMD) users will face severe penalties for using pedestrian-only paths.First-time offenders can be fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to three months, or both.Following that, some cyclists have voiced their concerns, arguing that the penalties are only applied to cyclists and mobility device users while pedestrians can still traverse both pathways legally.On Facebook group Singapore Park Connector Network (PCN) Cyclist, some users have expressed their displeasure towards the new regulation.«Not going [to] fine pedestrians but only cyclists?» One user questioned. «Why not ask the pedestrian to jaywalk on the road, and cars must give way, if not fine the driver?»

The People's Action Party (PAP) has raised concerns over the Workers' Party (WP) engagement with Malaysian media, saying that domestic politics should remain within Singapore's boundaries, the ruling party said in a statement on Thursday (July 3).In particular, PAP took issue with WP secretary-general Pritam Singh's appearance on Keluar Sekejap — a Malaysian political podcast hosted by former Malaysian health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan — on June 24, saying that his choice to speak on foreign soil «raises serious questions».«It touches on a fundamental principle — that Singapore’s domestic affairs should be debated and decided by Singaporeans, within Singapore,» said PAP.The ruling party quoted Chiam See Tong, a former Opposition MP, who said that the Opposition must be «truthful…good patriotic Singaporeans…and not go around the world denouncing Singapore».

An avid reader of fantasy and dystopian fiction, 27-year-old Megan often turns to social media platform Goodreads and TikTok sub-community BookTok for recommendations on what to read next.Both platforms have become go-to resources for book lovers to discover trending reading lists and reviews on popular titles.«I haven't come across much Singapore Literature (SingLit),» said Megan, who declined to give her full name. She told AsiaOne that the only SingLit titles she had encountered were from English class during her schooling years.Many readers have similar experiences with SingLit, and are largely unaware of the vast range of titles and genres published by the literary community in Singapore, as seen in the results of the National Library Board's (NLB) National Reading Habits Study 2024. Only three in 10 adults had read a SingLit book in the past 12 months, according to the study released on June 26 which surveyed 3,725 Singapore residents. Among the 2,575 respondents that were non-readers of SingLit, over half said that they were unaware of local authors and literary works.

Shatec, a hospitality and tourism training institute in Singapore, is reportedly shutting down after more than 40 years of operation, due to operational difficulties.Chinese publication Shin Min Daily News reported that real estate firm CBRE has been appointed as the exclusive marketing agent for Shatec's main campus building at Bukit Batok Street 22. The four-storey property is reportedly listed for sale at $18 million, with its land lease expiring in 2051.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, Shatec's chairman Loh Lik Peng said that the institute is currently in the early stages of reviewing its long-term plans.«The sale of the building is part of Shatec's asset management strategy. As the review is still ongoing, we are unable to provide further comments,» said Loh.Shin Min reported that after an evaluation, the Shatec board concluded that the current model was no longer sustainable and made the difficult decision to begin winding down operations from April 1. 

The owner of a local automotive detailer has admitted to generating fake five-star customer reviews and posting them on its business page on popular online car platform sgCarMart for the last two years. This comes after the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) launched an investigation into Lambency Detailing in January, following a customer complaint regarding unauthorised reviews using her name.In a media release on Thursday (July 3), the consumer watchdog said it confirmed with seven other Lambency Detailing customers that false reviews containing their names, car plate numbers, and photographs of their vehicles had been posted on sgCarMart without their consent.CCCS said it also used digital technology and algorithms in its investigations, which found mass postings of suspicious five-star reviews on sgCarMart on certain dates.When shown evidence, Holding company Quantum Globe, which owns and operates Lambency Detailing, admitted to having used their customers' information without their knowledge or consent to create the reviews.

There is no train services at all stations of the Bukit Panjang LRT line due to a power fault, transport operator SMRT has said.The announcement was published in a post on social media platforms Facebook and X at 9.13am on Thursday (July 3).Free regular buses as well as bridging buses are available outside all 12 affected stations, said SMRT.'We apologise for the disruption'In a Facebook post at 9.18am, SMRT said that a power fault had occurred on the line at 8.50am.«Our staff are on-site working to resolve the issue and are assisting affected commuters,» it added.SMRT also said that in-train and station announcements have been made to inform commuters.«We apologise for the disruption to your journey and appreciate your patience.»As of their latest update made on Facebook at 9.56am, train services are still not available across the entire LRT system.lim.kewei@asiaone.com

The police arrested a 17-year-old male teenager on Tuesday (July 1) for allegedly trespassing onto the MRT tracks along Upper Changi Road, between Simei and Tanah Merah stations. He will be charged in court on Thursday (July 3) for wilfully endangering the safety of persons travelling along the railway and for trespassing. Police said they received a report on June 10 regarding an individual who trespassed onto the MRT tracks at the said location. The teenager was identified through ground enquiries and follow-up investigations. Police did not say when the alleged trespass occured. Earlier in June, rail operator SMRT told AsiaOne that it had filed a police report  after a video taken in dimly lit conditions, showing a passing train on a nearby track made rounds on social media. 

Two Home Team agencies -- the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) -- will be getting new heads after the Ministry of Home Affairs announced leadership changes on Wednesday (July 2). Veteran narcotics officer Sebastian Tan, 49, returns to CNB as its director on Aug 1. He is currently the Senior Director of the Ministry's International Cooperation and Partnerships Division. He takes over from Leon Chan, 44, who is currently acting director of CNB. Chan will return to the Singapore Police Force.Tan joined CNB in 2002 and rose to become its deputy director for operations between 2017 and 2021.During his tenure, he is credited with maintaining a high tempo of anti-drug enforcement operations in the line divisions he oversaw. He was also responsible for significant policy and legislative amendments, including the review of the drug rehabilitation regime. 

While a life of luxury may be out of reach for many in Singapore, this man has found a way to consistently make bank — and he's willing to share his secrets.Grab rider Afiq Zayany claims that he earns around $4,000 to $6,000 a month, allowing him to live in a two-storey villa in Johor Bahru, according to a recent video on his YouTube account Ringgit & Dollars.«You want proof? I'll give you proof,» Afiq, a Singaporean, says in the video.He says he earns around $200 a day in Singapore, according to a screenshot he took of the earnings for the first week of June in his Grab application.The golf villa in Johor Bahru that he lives in costs about RM1.4 million (S$424,600), said Afiq in another YouTube video.  

Eight men and 12 women, aged between 24 and 55, were arrested for various offences during a multi-agency enforcement operation in Geylang on Friday (June 27).The offences include drink driving, driving without a valid licence and insurance, non-maintenance of fire safety provisions, providing massage services without a valid licence, suspected drug-related offences, and working without a valid work permit. Members of the media, including AsiaOne, were invited to observe the enforcement operation, led by Bedok Police Division.The enforcement operation, involving officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force, is part of their ongoing efforts to clamp down on illicit activities and regulatory offences in the area, said the police in a statement on Wednesday (July 2). Our first stop was a hair salon along Geylang Road which actively promotes its hair washing services on social media. 

Security company Certis has agreed to roll back its latest mandate that required employees on sick leave to share their live location if they are not at home, following discussions with the Union of Security Employees (USE).«Certis, which is unionised under USE, has agreed to do so, and there will be no location tracking of officers on medical leave,» it said in a statement on Tuesday (July 1). USE, an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), said that the decision comes after a meeting with Certis management.The union also said that officers should use their medical leave to rest, and that they «do not condone any abuse of medical leave as such behaviour undermines trust and affects the wellbeing of the fellow officers».

A man who caught his wife naked with another man in the latter's car climbed onto the vehicle's bonnet in a desperate bid to stop them from leaving.But he fell and sustained injuries, after the man stepped on the accelerator to drive off.The purported lover, Chia Hiok Seah, was taken to court on Tuesday (July 1) for the offences of causing hurt through a rash act and appearing nude in a public place, reported Shin Min Daily News.According to court documents seen by AsiaOne, the incident occurred at about 2.13am on June 29, 2024, at the multi-storey car park Block 278 Compassvale Bow.Chia, 50, is accused of causing hurt to victim Goh Yong Sern by driving while Goh was on the front bonnet, causing him to fall to the ground.This resulted in Goh suffering injuries including a facial laceration, puncture wound on his face, abrasions over his hand and knee and a scratch on his chest, the documents stated.Chia was also handed a second charge of appearing nude in the car park while being in the vehicle.

SINGAPORE — Few had expected Samuel Lim Hong Xiang to survive after his grandmother's domestic helper poured acid down his throat when he was just three months old.But Lim defied every medical prognosis and lived on.Despite severe damage to his vocal cords and tongue, Lim graduated with a master's degree in speech pathology from the University of Melbourne and, earlier in 2025, fulfilled his dream of becoming a speech and language therapist at Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities.But in June, barely five months into the job, Lim was diagnosed with nose cancer. He died on June 28 at the age of 26.Lim leaves his parents, Lim Boon Keong and Madam Tan Poh Ling, both in their early 50s, a 20-year-old sister and a 23-year-old brother.«We were told he had stage 4 cancer,» Lim's father told The Straits Times.«But in his final week, he looked fine. He said he didn't feel any pain. He wanted to live.»Madam Tan said that despite the diagnosis, Lim remained hopeful. He had received his first chemotherapy treatment three days before his death and had expressed his hope to return to work.

Warm and humid nights are expected to hit Singapore in the first two weeks of July due to prevailing south-west monsoon conditions, with winds blowing mainly from the south-east or south-west, said the Meteorological service Singapore (MSS) on Tuesday (July 1).During this period, the daily maximum temperatures are likely to range between 33 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius on most days and slightly exceed 34 degrees Celsius on a few days, it stated.Some nights may also be warm and humid, with temperatures staying above 28 degrees Celsius.Short-duration thundery showers are also expected over parts of the island in the late morning and afternoon on most days, said the meteorological service. In addition, Sumatra squalls may bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds in the pre-dawn and morning hours on a few days.Despite the expected rainfall, MSS forecasts that total rainfall for the first half of July will be near average across most parts of the island.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has expressed concern over the state of private insurance and private healthcare and its unsustainability, stating how insurers and hospitals have gotten «tied up in a knot».He added that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is helping with the «untying process», according to his Facebook post on Tuesday (July 1).Ong's comments come after Great Eastern (GE) insurance group issued a notice last month that it is suspending the issuance of pre-authorisation certificates for admissions to Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital from June 17, reported CNA.Pre-authorisation certificates are taken as confirmation that the insurer has agreed to cover the patient's medical costs before treatment.Sharing MOH's view on the matter, Ong noted that he had expressed his concerns about the state of private insurance and private healthcare «for some time».

Cyclists, non-motorised personal mobility device (PMD) and motorised PMD users will face severe penalties if they use pedestrian-only paths, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Tuesday (July 1). Motorised personal mobility devices include e-bikes, while non-motorised ones include kick scooters.This follows the conversion of over 200km of footpaths adjacent to cycling paths across Singapore into pedestrian-only paths, which have been marked with pedestrian logos and «Pedestrians-Only» wordings.Paths coloured red are for cyclists, while those that remain grey are pedestrian-only.Only pedestrians and those with personal mobility aids (PMA) such as electric wheelchairs can utilise the pedestrian-only paths, presuming they stay within speed limit of 6kmh come 2026, the authority explained.At present, the speed limit for personal mobility aids remain at 10kmh.

SINGAPORE — The personal driver of Su Binghai — one of the fugitives in the $3 billion money laundering case — has been dealt with for lying to the police about his boss’ luxury cars worth $8.3 million.Liew Yik Kit, 42, is the first Singaporean to be convicted and sentenced in relation to Singapore’s largest money laundering case.On June 30, Liew was sentenced to three months’ jail after pleading guilty to lying to the police.Another charge of obstructing the course of justice was taken into consideration during sentencing.The $3 billion money laundering case saw 10 foreign nationals arrested in multiple islandwide raids here on Aug 15, 2023.The 10 foreigners have been jailed, deported and barred from re-entering Singapore.Su Binghai was driven by Liew out of Singapore via Tuas Checkpoint on the evening of Aug 15 — the day of the raids.The pair then stayed at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur before Liew dropped Su off at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Aug 17, 2023.Investigations revealed that before Su flew off, he instructed Liew to help him sell his four luxury cars which were parked in his home in Singapore.

Chinese bike-sharing company HelloRide will expand its fleet of bicycles from 15,000 to 20,000 starting Tuesday (July 1) after it received approval from the Land Transport Authority (LTA). According to HelloRide's website, the increased fleet size will allow it to serve more users during peak hours, reduce wait times, and improve bicycle availability in high-demand zones.It will also begin rolling out its new OA70 bike model in the coming weeks. The upgraded bike features a centre-mounted phone holder, improved ergonomics with easily adjustable ride height and an enhanced pedal feel, and they will be progressively deployed across key town centres and transport nodes.«This milestone reflects our continued commitment to delivering reliable, sustainable, and accessible micromobility solutions across Singapore,» said HelloRide.Founded in 2022, HelloRide operates bike-sharing services in Hong Kong and Australia. 

SINGAPORE — A driver who played «blocking and braking games» with a motorcycle and went at speeds of up to 160kmh on an expressway showed no remorse despite causing the death of an 18-year-old pillion rider on the motorcycle.When his friend said he was crazy to play with someone's life, the driver replied that the victim «deserved it» as she had pushed his limits.Jarrett Tee Lee Kiat, 30, was sentenced to five years and eight months' jail on June 27 after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Leann Lim Jia Le.Lim, an 18-year-old student, was the pillion rider on the motorcycle when Tee swerved into it, causing Lim to be flung onto the road.The collision also left the motorcycle rider, Kovan Tan, 27, injured with multiple abrasions and a right-hand laceration.Apart from his jail term, Tee was handed a 10-year driving ban for his offence.He was a National University of Singapore student at the time of the incident, as well as a part-time chef and social media influencer.

While enjoying her durian puree dessert from an eatery in Clementi Mall, a customer unknowingly swallowed a hard object — only to discover later that it was a piece of plastic.She subsequently demanded $16,000 in compensation from the dessert store, but the store rejected it.The 35-year-old woman, surnamed Lin (transliterated), had visited the store with a friend and ordered a shaved durian puree from Mei Heong Yuen Dessert at about 8pm on Wednesday earlier this month, reported Shin Min Daily News.While enjoying her dessert, the woman bit into something hard. Assuming it was just crushed ice, she swallowed it.Shortly after, she bit into another hard object, which prompted her to spit it out.To her surprise, it turned out to be a small piece of plastic.More plastic pieces foundLin informed the employees about this, but they reportedly appeared unsure of what to do and were unable to reach their manager, the report said.She requested that the durian puree be inspected, and more pieces of plastic were allegedly found.

Close to a million Singaporean HDB households will receive rebates on their utility and conservancy bills in July.Eligible households will receive U-Save and Service & Conservancy Charges (S&CC) rebates in July as part of the permanent GST Voucher (GSTV) scheme and the enhanced Assurance Package, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in a statement on Monday (June 30).Households will receive rebates according to their HDB flat type.For example, households living in a one- or two-room flat will receive $190 worth of U-Save and one month of S&CC rebates.The latest batch of rebates will be the second quarterly disbursement for Financial Year 2025, and are provided to help Singaporean households with their cost-of-living concerns, said MOF.Eligible households do not need to take any action and will have the rebates automatically credited to their utilities accounts by SP Services and their town councils respectively.MOF said that households whose members own more than one property are not eligible for the rebates.Households with no Singaporean flat owner or occupier will also be ineligible.

Households in Singapore will see a decrease in electricity and gas prices from July to September 2025, due to lower energy and fuel costs.The electricity tariff will fall by 2.3 per cent or 0.65 cent per kilowatt hour (kWh) before GST as compared to the previous quarter, said SP Group on Monday (June 30).City Gas, the producer and retailer of piped gas, said in a separate statement on the same day that the gas tariff will drop from 22.72 cents per kWh to 22.28 cents per kWh due to lower fuel costs as compared to the previous quarter.With the new tariff, the average monthly electricity bill for families living in a four-room HDB flat, for example, will decrease by $2.36 before GST.

Three persons were arrested after their vehicle collided with a lorry while being chased by police on Sunday (June 29).Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police said that officers were patrolling along Syed Alwi Road at around 5.45am on Sunday morning when they saw a car parked haphazardly along the road.They proceeded to check on the driver, but the 25-year-old male driver drove off, leading officers to give chase. He was subsequently arrested.While officers were arresting him, one of the passengers drove the car away, the police said.The car was later located along Syed Alwi Road, but sped away again when the passenger-turned-driver spotted the police, eventually colliding with a lorry and coming to a stop.Police found substances suspected to be controlled drugs and drug paraphernalia in the car.The 25-year-old man was also wanted by police for prior traffic-related offences and was taken conscious to the hospital, and was later arrested for suspected drug-related offences.

New jobs will emerge but there will always be jobs for drivers in the transport sector, even as Singapore is set to introduce autonomous vehicles, said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow.On June 27, Siow announced plans to roll out self-driving buses in Punggol by the fourth quarter of 2025, during a working visit to Guangzhou, China, raising concerns about job security for drivers.«The role of the driver may change,» he said, adding that it is the role of the Government, together with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), to «help these drivers make the best of these new opportunities».According to Siow, the role of a driver is likely to change with the introduction of autonomous vehicles.«(It) may well be you have somebody on board that does different things,» he said.Instead of driving, Siow said that one might help elderly passengers with boarding, helping to load luggage, or serve as a tour guide.He highlighted the importance of taxi and private hire drivers in Singapore's current ecosystem, and said that the Government will «make sure that they are well taken care of» amid the proposed developments.

The first Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link train was unveiled during a ceremony at the Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC) in Tuas on Monday (June 30).Officiated by Singapore's Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow and Malaysia's Minister of Transport YB Anthony Loke, the ceremony highlighted the shared commitment by the neighbours to deliver cross-border rail project.Both ministers also emphasised that the project aims to significantly enhance connectivity.The RTS Link will be served by eight trains, with each train consisting of four cars and a capacity of over 600 passengers. The trains are manufactured by Chinese firm CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive. The first train has already been delivered to Singapore in April and has undergone preparatory works for On-Site Integrated Testing at the SRTC.Once fully operational by December 2026, the 4km shuttle service from Singapore's Woodlands North station to Johor Bahru's Bukit Chagar station will be able to accommodate up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction at peak capacity. 

SINGAPORE — An industrial estate and a row of warehouses at Depot Lane in Bukit Merah will be vacated by the fourth quarter of 2025 to make way for housing.JTC Corporation, which manages the industrial estate, said the plot will be returned to the state for future residential development, in response to queries from The Straits Times.Under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's master plan, the Depot Lane industrial estate is part of a 7.3ha site zoned for residential use. Its plot ratio, which determines the intensity of the development, is subject to detailed evaluation.The industrial estate, consisting of about 240 units across eight blocks, was built in the 1970s. Six adjacent warehouses, which make up the rest of the plot, are owned by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).JTC said tenants were told about the redevelopment plans for the area in 2018 and were offered replacement factory spaces at JTC Space @ Ang Mo Kio or Bedok Food City.Western food stall Original Botak Jones took to social media in April to announce the closure of its outlet in the Yue Hua coffee shop at Depot Lane on June 22 due to redevelopment of the area.

Mr Rizwan Habib, who stole money as a child to feed his mother's drug habit and spent close to 21 years in jail across seven jail terms, celebrated a series of remarkable milestones in the past year.The 43-year-old, who took his PSLE, O levels and A levels behind bars, completed his social work degree at the Singapore University of Social Sciences in April.In May, he started his «dream job» as a social worker with the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society (Iscos), helping ex-offenders to turn their lives around.He also moved into his first home, a two-room Housing Board flat, in November 2024.Mr Rizwan, who was once homeless and spent a large part of his life in jail, said: «I never had a place to call home before. It feels surreal.»A traumatic childhoodMr Rizwan said that when he was about five years old, his father walked out on the family.His mother was an unemployed drug addict, and as an only child, he had to fend for himself from a young age.

Continuing to criminalise drugs is «the right policy» for Singapore, said Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam, who was speaking on the sidelines of a community event in Nee Soon on Saturday (June 28).He told media that the government is looking at «possible outflows» to Singapore with cannabis set to be recriminalised in Thailand.The nexus between drugs, crime and terrorism needs to be looked at, he continued, touching on Singapore's increased security posture amid rising tensions over the Iran-Israel conflict.«We try to maintain our openness and our connectivity, and our business-friendly environment. It is a bit early to say what is going to happen, but we have to be more careful,» he added.On June 24, Thailand's Health Ministry issued an order which prohibited the sale of cannabis for recreational use, requiring a doctor's prescription for any retail purchase.

Eleven illegal massage establishments are being investigated after they were found operating under the guise of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinics, with one offering vice services.In a statement on Saturday (June 28), the police said they conducted enforcement operations on 181 TCM outlets between Feb 7 and April 14 following public feedback about unlicensed massage services and suspected vice activities.While most outlets checked were found to be in compliance with the law, 11 outlets were discovered to have non-certified TCM practitioners administering massages to customers.One clinic was also found to be offering vice services and a female employee was arrested for managing a place of assignation under the Women's Charter 1961.Investigations against the 11 non-compliant establishments are ongoing.Providing massage services without a valid licence carries severe penalties under Section 5(1) of the Massage Establishments Act 2017.If found guilty, offenders may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.Repeat offenders can be fined up to $20,000, imprisoned for up to five years, or both.

Phone calls soliciting donations and personal information for this year's National Day Parade (NDP) are scam calls, said the NDP 2025 executive committee (Exco) on on Saturday (June 28).In an advisory posted to their Facebook page, the NDP 2025 Exco said that it is aware of a recent scam where scam callers pretend to be NDP 2025 representatives and ask for cash sponsorships and personal information.«Do not disclose any personal, business, or sponsorship information if you are unsure of the caller's identity or credibility,» the post stated.[embed]https://www.facebook.com/NDPeeps/posts/pfbid02KPof7q4cW4i72sdaTaL8xfwBzr22sLoGgtoPehyBWRmNXh3bMz59AUz4kpSu9nhLl[/embed]A recording of a scam call was shared with The Straits Times, during which the scammer impersonated a NDP 2025 representative and asked for a «small sponsorship of between $300 to $500».The scammer said that the donation would be exempted from tax, and that it would be used to help the NDP 2025 and future editions run successfully.Members of the public can send an email to ndp@defence.gov.sg to verify any doubts regarding the identity or credibility of such callers.

SINGAPORE - A spike in cabin theft cases in Asia has been blamed on members of organised crime groups, who catch short-transit flights - including trips to Singapore - to steal small items from passengers.Hong Kong has been one of the worst hit, with 169 cases of in-flight theft involving HK$4.32 million (S$700,000) in valuables recorded in the first 10 months of 2024 - a 75 per cent increase from the same period the previous year.In an interview with The Straits Times, Assistant Commissioner M Malathi, who is commander of the Airport Police Division (APD), said that in-flight theft cases are difficult to detect and investigate.She said syndicate members, who work in pairs to steal from unsuspecting passengers, often catch a flight out of Singapore soon after landing at Changi Airport.«They will only take some cash and maybe one or two cards. They won't take your whole wallet, because if they do, it is easier to notice,» said AC Malathi, who added that the authorities have a short lead time before the suspects leave on an outbound flight.