SINGAPORE - Two men have been arrested for tricking a money changer and stealing around US$75,000 (S$100,000) from him.
In a statement on Saturday, the police said they were alerted to a case of theft at a money changer in Coleman Street on Friday.
The two men, aged 45 and 54, had earlier asked the money changer to prepare the cash in exchange for Singapore dollars.
At about 4.30pm on Friday, they asked the money changer to hand over the greenback so that they could verify the amount.
After verifying the amount, which came in US$100 notes, the 54-year-old man packed the bundles of cash into plastic bags, which were then placed in a “large” briefcase, said the statement.
After failed attempts to return the money to the money changer by trying to fit the briefcase through the gap at the counter, the two men pretended to remove the plastic bags containing the money to place them into a smaller leather bag, which could go through the gap.
The pair then allegedly left the leather bag with the money changer and said they would return with their passports and the Singapore notes.
When the pair did not return after an hour, the money changer became suspicious. He opened the leather bag to find three plastic bags containing bundles of notes, each consisting of US$1 and US$100 notes and fake euro notes.
The money changer then realised that the two men had allegedly swopped the money, the statement said.
The two men were arrested after being escorted from an aircraft that was about to depart from Changi Airport for Germany.
Preliminary investigations found that the duo had allegedly exchanged Singapore notes for US notes on four occasions between last Tuesday and Friday.
After acquainting themselves with the money changer, the pair asked him to prepare the money in exchange for Singapore dollars last Thursday.
Some US$74,600 was recovered from the two men and seized as case exhibits.
Their electronic devices and clothes worn during the alleged offence were also seized.
Investigations are ongoing.
The two men will be charged in court on Sunday and face a jail term of up to seven years and a fine if found guilty.
