November 24, 2022
SINGAPORE – Three Australian schoolgirls who were here for a netball competition and arrested after shoplifting in Orchard Road have been given a 12-month conditional warning.
Three others received a stern warning, the police said on Wednesday in response to The Straits Times query, adding that they had administered the warnings in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“This took into account, among other factors, their ages and the extent of their individual involvement,” said the police. They were alerted to the case of theft in 333A Orchard Road at about 4pm on Nov 13.
Australian media reports said the girls were suspected of stealing lingerie from a Victoria’s Secret store, as well as a pair of Crocs footwear. They identified the girls as Year 10 students from Bacchus Marsh Grammar, a private school about 60km north of Melbourne in the state of Victoria.
Following investigations by the police, the six girls aged 14 to 16 were found in possession of stolen items.
A stern warning is issued in place of prosecution after a criminal investigation is concluded.
But a conditional stern warning allows the authorities to prosecute the accused for the original crime if conditions in the warning are breached within a specified time period, which in this case is 12 months.
Australian media reports on Tuesday, quoting the school’s principal Andrew Neal, said the matters had been resolved and all the girls had returned home after leaving Singapore last Saturday.
“Everyone is here and they all came in on the same flight… All matters have been resolved and the girls were allowed to proceed to the airport with no further action,” he added.
He earlier said the school had 18 students who were in Singapore to compete in a regional netball competition.
He had recorded the school’s appreciation of the Singapore police for their professionalism, saying in a statement that they have been firm, fair and thorough.