Over $15k worth of branded goods, cash stolen from Singaporean tourists on Europe tour bus; $2k fine for man who urinated at Outram Park MRT station: Singapore live news

A group of tourists, including several Singaporeans, had over $15,000 worth of branded items and cash stolen from their tour bus in Europe. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
A group of tourists, including several Singaporeans, had over $15,000 worth of branded items and cash stolen from their tour bus in Europe. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

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Singapore tourists lost over $15,000 worth of branded goods and cash after their belongings were stolen from a tour bus in Milan, Italy. One of the five victims, surnamed Huang, told Shin Min Daily News that the theft occurred on the last night of their 11-day Europe tour. The group had left the bus at about 9pm for dinner in Milan and when they returned to the bus about 45 minutes later, they realised their valuables were gone. For more on the missing items, read on.

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A man was fined $2,000 for urinating on an escalator handrail at Outram Park MRT station. The 41-year-old Chinese national, Li Guorui, pleaded guilty to one charge of being a public nuisance on 14 Jan. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jeremy Bin said Li on the only part of the escalator that members of the public would touch and the act "concerns issues of sanitation and disease-spreading". For more on the sentencing, read on.

Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates.

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    The cash payout will be given to those who do not own more than one property, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) on Wednesday (Jan 15).

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    Alternatively, they can also provide their bank account details at the govbenefits website by 27 Jan to get the cash payout via GIRO from 13 Feb.

    Those without PayNow-NRIC or valid bank accounts will receive their cash payout later via GovCash.

    All Singaporeans aged 20 years and below, or 55 years and above, will also get an Assurance Package MediSave top-up of $150 in their CPF accounts.

    This will automatically be credited to their CPF accounts from 11 Feb.

    About two million Singaporeans residing here will benefit from this, regardless of the annual value of their homes or their assessable incomes.

    Eligible recipients will receive an SMS after the benefits have been credited in February. Those without a Singpass-registered mobile number or who do not get an SMS will get a letter sent to their address on their NRICs.

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    For recipients aged 16 and below, there will be a letter addressed to their parents or guardians, informing them of the top-up to their child’s CPF account.

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    For more on the trajectory of private home sales, read here.

  • Nearly 100 potholes found in Singapore amid heavy rainfall

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  • Singaporean charged with urinating at Potong Pasir MRT station

    A man has been charged for urinating at Potong Pasir MRT station. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore)
    A man has been charged for urinating at Potong Pasir MRT station. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore)

    A man has been charged with committing public nuisance for urinating at Potong Pasir MRT.

    CNA reported that Zhou Hongwei, a 57-year-old Singaporean, is accused of urinating in front of the passenger service centre of the station at 7.30pm on Monday (13 Jan).

    Zhou appeared in court on Wednesday and said he'll plead guilty. He was given a date to do so on 26 Feb.

    Zhou is out on bail of $5,000, and according to CNA, when instructed not to re-offend while on bail, Zhou said, "Okay, can."

    This is the third case of public urination at MRT stations in less than a week.

    Chinese national Li Guorui was fined $2,000 on Tuesday for urinating on the escalator handrail of Outram Park MRT station on 10 Jan.

    Meanwhile, the police are investigating another case of a man urinating in a corner of the platform at Tanah Merah MRT station. The video was posted online on Monday.

    The man has not been publicly identified and it's not known when the incident took place.

  • $2k fine for man who urinated at Outram Park MRT station

    A 41-year-old Chinese national was fined $2,000 for urinated on an escalator handrail at Outram Park MRT station. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
    A 41-year-old Chinese national was fined $2,000 for urinated on an escalator handrail at Outram Park MRT station. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

    A man was fined $2,000 for urinating on an escalator handrail at Outram Park MRT station.

    The 41-year-old Chinese national, Li Guorui, pleaded guilty to one charge of being a public nuisance on 14 Jan.

    The Straits Times (ST) reported that Li had arrived on 2 Jan for a business trip. On 10 Jan, Li attended a business dinner at Westgate from 7pm to 9pm, where he became heavily intoxicated.

    On the way back to his hotel at Upper Cross Street, at about 10pm at Outram Park MRT station, Li unzipped his pants and urinated on a downward-moving escalator. He then exited the station and returned to his hotel.

    According to ST, Deputy Public Prosecutor Jeremy Bin sought a fine of between $1,500 and $2,000. He said, "It goes without saying that the accused’s actions here were completely unacceptable and rather disconcerting, and his sentence should reflect that."

    DPP Bin also said that Li urinated in an area with high footfall and on the only part of the escalator that members of the public would touch. He added, "His act extends beyond just causing annoyance, and concerns issues of sanitation and disease-spreading."

    The prosecution noted that that Li's case was one of three public urination cases at MRT stations this week, and a message should be sent by the court to deter such behaviour.

    ST reported that District Judge Paul Chan agreed with the prosecution.

    "SMRT is now required to service the escalator, on top of its usual service routines. This has cost implications. What the accused has done has an impact on the reputation of SMRT and its ability to provide a safe and clean transportation environment," said the judge.

  • Over $15k worth of branded goods, cash stolen from Singaporean tourists on Europe tour bus

    A group of tourists, including several Singaporeans, had over $15,000 worth of branded items and cash stolen from their tour bus in Europe. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
    A group of tourists, including several Singaporeans, had over $15,000 worth of branded items and cash stolen from their tour bus in Europe. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

    Singapore tourists lost over $15,000 worth of branded goods and cash after their belongings were stolen from a tour bus in Milan, Italy.

    One of the five victims, surnamed Huang, told Shin Min Daily News that the theft occurred on the last night of their 11-day Europe tour.

    There were a total of 33 tourists on the tour which ran from 13 Dec to 23 Dec, and covered France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

    Huang, 38, was with her mother on the tour, and the group had left the bus at about 9pm for dinner in Milan. When the group returned to the bus about 45 minutes later, the secretary realised her newly-purchased items, including a Saint Laurent bag worth $2,734, were missing.

    She told Shin Min, "Before getting off the bus, I put the new bag in a luggage bag and stowed it in the overhead compartment. The luggage bag was gone but the bag of snacks next to it was still there."

    Huang also said she was heartbroken because it was the first time she had bought a branded bag.

    Another victim, Li Meiling (transliteration), lost more than $9,000 worth of items and cash, including a newly purchased Fendi bag, Tag Heuer watch and Louis Vuitton wallet.

    Li, 52, was travelling with her husband and 24-year-old son. It was her first time in Europe and she said she "didn't expect to encounter something like this on a tour bus".

    According to the victims, they were instructed by the tour guide and bus driver to return to the hotel to rest as it was very late. They made a police report the next day.

    Both Huang and Li said the tour guide assured them at the bus was the "safest" place to leave their belongings.

    However, Huang felt it was "too much of a coincidence" that the bus driver claimed the door was "faulty" when the group arrived in Milan.

    She told Shin Min that his statements were also inconsistent. The day the incident occurred, he claimed he never left the bus. However, he told the police that he stepped away briefly when they were filing the report.

    The tour was organised by EU Holidays and when contacted by Shin Min, a spokesperson refuted claims that the tour guide had said the bus was the safest place to store their valuables. The guide also did not ask them to leave their things in the bus, said the spokesperson.

    This isn't the first time tourists have lost valuables on a tour operated by EU Holidays.

    In December 2021, The Straits Times reported that a mother-daughter duo lost their luggage containing $15,000 worth of new designer shoes, bags and clothing in Italy. It was stolen from their tour bus as well.

    A total of eight pieces of luggage belonging to 12 people on a vaccinated travel lane (VTL) tour were stolen from the cargo hold of the bus.