SINGAPORE - A man has been arrested by the police for allegedly stealing six cans of abalone worth $416.80 in total from a supermarket in VivoCity last Wednesday.

The 54 year-old suspect was nabbed by officers in Tampines on Monday, after they reviewed close-circuit television (CCTV) footage and conducted extensive ground enquiries to establish his identity, the police said in a news release on Tuesday.

The man will be charged in court for theft on Wednesday.

In its news release, the police reminded retail outlets to be "extra vigilant against shop thieves during the festive period, especially when large crowds throng the shopping malls and supermarkets for festive goods".

The police also urged retailers to put in place adequate crime prevention measures such as displaying expensive items only in locked display shelves, installing CCTVs and convex mirrors, using an electronic tagging system and advising staff to be observant and vigilant.

"Avoid displaying expensive goods such as canned abalone near the store's entry and exit points. They should be placed at strategic locations within your premises where they can be monitored by staff or placed under CCTV surveillance. Use empty cans for those near the entry and exit points," the police said.

If convicted of theft, the man faces up to seven years' imprisonment, or fine, or both.