The 6 Australian Teens Caught Shoplifting in Orchard Given Warnings & Are Back in Australia


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Six Australian schoolgirls were arrested for shoplifting at Orchard Road on 13 November 2022.

The girls, ages 14 to 16, were here on behalf of the school’s netball team to play in a regional competition, where they would face off against Singapore Sports School and other visiting schools.

Before the trip, parents were informed that the journey would help provide their children with “a cultural experience in Asia” and an “education on travel and being an elite athlete”

The girls are from an elite private school, Bacchus Marsh Grammar, in Melbourne, where their parents pay upwards of AUD$13,000 (S$12,046) in school fees per annum.

For this netball tour, their parents were set back by around AUD$ 3,300 (S$3,058).

The 6 Australian Teens Caught Shoplifting in Orchard Given Warnings & Are Back in Australia

Three of the schoolgirls have since been given a 12-month conditional warning, while the rest received a stern warning. The police added that they administered the warnings upon consulting the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Basically, a stern warning is issued in place of prosecution after completing a criminal investigation.

A conditional stern warning, on the other hand, allows the authorities to prosecute the accused for the original crime if they breach the conditions within a certain time period, in this case, 12 months.

Which, of course, won’t matter to them unless they intend to come back here to commit another crime.

“This took into account, among other factors, their ages and the extent of their individual involvement,” said the police.

Australian media reports on 22 November 2022 said the matters had been resolved, and all the girls had returned home after leaving Singapore last Saturday.

Girls Stole Lingerie and Crocs 

When it comes to stealing, you will typically think of big-ticket items like electronic devices, makeup, and branded clothes.

However, these girls stole lingerie from a Victoria’s Secret Store and a pair of crocs from the Crocs store.

The CCTV footage caught the girls stealing expensive lingerie from Victoria’s secret at Orchard Road’s Mandarin Gallery.

After all, you cannot escape after committing a crime in Singapore.

The staff immediately alerted the police, and shortly after, they were detained.


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The girls were held in police custody for around 10 hours after being caught by the police.

The school’s principal, Andrew Neal, has commended Singapore’s Police Force for being “firm, fair, and thorough.”

“The school is appreciative of their professionalism,” he added.

Under section 379 of the Penal Code, if found guilty of the offence of shoplifting, each girl could face jail time of up to three years and/or a fine.

What is the moral of the story? Don’t steal. 


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Featured Image: JHVEPhoto & monticello / Shutterstock.com