The police are investigating nine reports of handbag-slitting thefts along Orchard Road on Christmas Eve.

The thieves targeted crowded areas between 7pm and 2.30am, stealing valuables such as wallets and mobile phones.

A police spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that no arrests had been made and investigations are ongoing, adding that bag slitting is a common method among thieves.

In a Facebook post on Monday, police said people should be vigilant especially in crowded areas during the festive period. It advised them to be wary of suspicious people or people following them; not be distracted by strangers creating a commotion or accidentally bumping or spilling something onto them; and to keep a close watch on their belongings and not leave them unattended