Caught on camera: Photographs from CCTV showing the suspect stealing cash from Chong’s handbag in a shopping mall in George Town.The Star/Asia News Network
Saturday, Nov 24, 2012
GEORGE TOWN - A woman learnt an expensive lesson when she left her bag unattended in a shopping mall.
Sharon Chong lost RM1,350 (S$534) to thieves who are targeting customers at shopping malls, especially women who leave their handbags unattended.
CCTV footage from the footwear shop showed she was the victim of a male and two female thieves in the incident last week.
Chong said she placed her handbag on a sofa beside the payment counter while she paid for her purchases.
She had let her guard down as her daughter was sitting on the sofa.
The CCTV showed a man in a white polo shirt and shorts entering the shop and pretending to look for shoes while his female accomplices distracted the cashier and kept a lookout.
He circled the sofa three times before grabbing a stack of cash from the handbag.
Chong's daughter was unaware of the theft as she was using her iPad and was sitting with her back facing the bag.
“I only realised that my money was missing when I was putting my purse back into my handbag.
“I hope this serves as a warning to all other shoppers,” Chong said.
Similar cases have occurred at other malls in the state.
A security manager at another shopping mall said pickpockets were also at large and usually targeted shoppers on escalators.
He said a suspect was caught red-handed at the mall last week and was handed over to the police.
George Town OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng said police had identified the man in the CCTV footage and were tracking down the group.
