Man allegedly hides overnight in Bedok coffee shop, steals cash register, cash and cheques amounting to over $14k

He bided his time, waiting around five hours for diners and employees at a Bedok North coffee shop to leave before putting his criminal plan into motion in the wee hours of Friday (March 22). 

The 65-year-old man allegedly swiped cash, cash cheques and a cash register belonging to four stallholders, reported Shin Min Daily News.

He then returned home to sleep. Hours later, the police turned up at his door and arrested him.

The manager of the coffee shop, surnamed Sun, told Shin Min that she was alerted to the theft at around 3am on Friday by a stallholder who was preparing to open shop.

The latter had discovered the shutters of the coffee shop half open, and that the cash registers and cabinets of several stalls had been broken into. 

A review of CCTV footage from a stall found that the culprit had attempted in vain to pry open a cash register with a kitchen knife. He subsequently took it with him.

According to Shin Min, the man had appeared at the coffee shop at around 8pm on Thursday and hid there till all the employees left after closing for the day.

Speaking to the Chinese evening daily, the man's wife said he reached home at about 2am on Friday and was still sleeping when the police came.

In the last few years, her husband had constantly asked to borrow money from her, she added.

After his arrest, she refused to post bail for him, reported Shin Min.

The police said in a statement that a 65-year-old man was arrested for his suspected involvement in a case of housebreaking and theft at a coffee shop at Bedok North Street 3.

They were alerted to the case at about 5.15am on Friday and arrested the man within five hours.

A cash register, around $1,800 in cash, and three cash cheques amounting to approximately $12,409, were purportedly stolen.

About $1,395 in cash was recovered along with the cash register and cheques.

The man was charged in court on Saturday with housebreaking and theft, which carries a jail term of up to 10 years and with caning or a fine.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com