Help - my $1500 buggy has just been stolen from Katong S/C

[margt]

Hi,

I was visiting my local doctor this morning at Katong shopping centre and left my Phil & Teds buggy outside in the hallway as there was no room in the surgery. When I returned to it after 10minutes, it had been stolen.

The buggy costs $1500 new and I would be really grateful if anyone could let me know if they are offered a 2nd hand one for sale. It is the e3 model in Charcoal Black - see link here for pics etc .

This is the 2nd buggy I have had stolen within a month. The first one was stolen on my condo but was a much cheaper stroller. I am bitterly disapointed to say the least!

Thanks

[sundaymorningstaple]

I hate to be the one to have to tell you this, but while Singapore is Low Crime it doesn't mean No Crime. Bicycles are stolen all the time here if they aren't padlocked (and the seats removed!) Shoes are stolen from outside your door if they are 200+ dollar sport shoes like Nike, Addidas, NewBalance, et. al.

Hopefully, you will learn in the future. Meanwhile, as this is an Expat site there is always a possibility that someone will be approached regarding the purchase of same. You might want to post a Stroller Stolen bulletin in Places like Jason's, Teirney's, Cold Storage Jelita, and other shops in and around Holland Village and Tanglin Market. Keep an eye on these same bulletin boards for someone selling same. Also, while not familiar with what is out in Sembawang, shops around the SAS area out there might be advisable as well. Also keep an eye on online for sale sites, local paper classified for sale. Hopefully something will turn up.

[durain]

cant believe some low life would nick a pushchair. maybe in future we will need to clamp the wheels of the pushchair.

[sundaymorningstaple]

cant believe some low life would nick a pushchair. maybe in future we will need to clamp the wheels of the pushchair.

I can't believe someone would pay $1500 for a pushchair in the first place unless they were planning on having at least a half dozen children. Worse that that to leave it unattended in a public place with lots of people around after already have one stolen in the same month? A more expensive one at that! Oh, would it draw attention, someone pushing an empty stroller around? No, not in the least. The people here do it all the time as it's a good place to place their purchases while the kid runs rampant through the stores.

margt,

Another area you might want to check out is Cash Converters. There are two or three locations here. Kinda like a pawn shop in the old NY style but not redeemable. They convert the goods for cash. Don't know if they have to have purchase receipts to prove ownership but a used stroller would make sense once the kiddies have outgrown it. Subatex addicts would grab something like that in a hurry.

[Plavt]

cant believe some low life would nick a pushchair. maybe in future we will need to clamp the wheels of the pushchair.

I can, it seems that some people are prepared to steal anything; one sees that often enough in London largely because of the use of drugs. However, a friend driving her bosses car when stopped in traffic had the wing mirrors stolen from under her very nose!

[batgirl_cdn]

sundaymorningstaple, I am noticing that you are a bit opininated in a negative way concerning children and parents... You are making negative comments about young children taking language lessons (or seemingly what you deem too many lessons of any type), and mention here about young children running "rampant", and also like to comment on how much parents spend on their buggies. I just thought I'd point out to you how you are coming across to at least one reader on this forum, me

No one expects someone to steal a buggy like that. It really is like stealing candy from a baby - very unfair and shows how low some people can go. I'm glad to know that this kind of thing is happening in Singapore so I can be wary of that when I arrive. Here in Dubai I've left my buggy outside my townhouse all night a few times and it has never been stolen. I've never left it unattended in a mall or any similar place though.

By the way, all the good and versatile buggies cost a lot of money. They are worth the investment if you plan to have more than one child. We bought a less expensive buggy to start with and it is just not working out for us. We are now going to buy a much more expensive buggy that should be infinitely better for our purposes.

[Plavt]

No one expects someone to steal a buggy like that.

You would appear to be a tad out of touch with what goes on in the real world, here in London as I mentioned there are those who will still just about anything. Think about it if a drug user can get money by selling something a buggy is fair game and he or even she will have no moral scruples about stealing be it a buggy or anything else, it happens!

I arrive. Here in Dubai I've left my buggy outside my townhouse all night a few times and it has never been stolen.

Hardly surprising in a country which has a small population and practices shariah law (I gather one may be flogged for failing to pay the hotel bill - I don't know what the penalties are for stealing in Singapore).

[sundaymorningstaple]

Maybe if you have been here as long as I have and raised two children from birth here (now 18 & 23) you would have as slightly different perspective as well. Oh, I put my kids through the local school system as well. I have watched this country grow from strength to strength. I have also seen it's underbelly that only normally presents itself to only those who venture out of Holland Village or districts 9,10 & 11.

Why should all of us here paint a rosy picture of this place? It not all a bed of roses. The incidences of child suicides, mental problems, rebellion, smoking and drinking has risen dramatically in the youth here in recent years. They are not being given the time to have a childhood due to the parents misguided beliefs that they must cram and cram more and more useless "activities" into their limited schedules (all the while demanding 100% marks plus distinctions). I have nothing against knowledge per se, but I do have a problem with adults who only exhibit the "I" want syndrome without bother to ask or consider what the child may want.

The penalties in Dubai for stealing are probably a wee bit more drastic than the penalties here aren't they? The reality here is that if you do not use a modicum of common sense someone will take advantage of it. Guess it's really not surprising, it's the same most anywhere. To pretend to be surprised is surprising to me as it's basic survival for those with drug habits and criminal records. Obviously you nor I would ever even think to do something like that, but to bury one's head in the sand to pretend that it doesn't happen is inviting trouble. A bit of common sense goes a long way anywhere, not just here.

Opinions? Be they positive or negative, it's up to the reader to collect the data, weigh it in their own minds, sift through the results and then do what ever they deem suitable in their particular situation. If everybody painted a rosy picture and you came here and found out different? One's learns a lot when one spends a quarter of a century here. I'm not saying I'm correct. But it is my opinion and my right to voice it. It is also your right not to read it or even if you do, to accept it as the gospel.

As far as my way of writing? Most are used to this farmboy's total lack of tact. At 60 I don't reckon I'll be changin' too much at this late date. So my advice is just don't read my posts unless you want the unvarnished facts as I see them.

In the meantime have a Happy New Year.

[Wind In My Hair]

Batgirl, welcome to the forum! And Singapore too, if you're an expat. Don't worry, you'll get used to some of the cranky old ones soon enough.

From personal experience, and having lived here most of my life, I must agree that petty theft is on the rise. Just a few days ago the papers reported that a few snatch thefts happen everyday. Nothing serious, but robbery all the same. My family has left our things outside our door for many years and nothing went missing till the last couple of years. I'll go out on a limb and blame the influx of PRC nationals. We've lost things a couple of times recently and each time it was just after the PRC rag-and-bone people came around. I'm not putting them down, it's just the way life is for them and we knew this would happen when we opened our doors to large numbers of foreign workers ten years ago.

[hedgehunter]

Don't they want to increase the population by a considerable amount over the next 5 - 10 years? The authorities must be deluding themselves if they think that they will be able to maintain the low levels of crime here once this happens since there will be many bad apples coming in to take advantage.

They've got it just right here now but increasing the population substantially will spell trouble.......at least the police will be busy though

[batgirl_cdn]

I'm not new to internet forums and I think the old cranky guys can turn out to be quite charming and helpful

Here in Dubai you would get a bit of prison time and you'd be deported and banned from entering the country again. No crazy penalties like getting hands chopped off.

I'm looking forward to learning more about Singapore and the kinds of social problems that are present there. It certainly has been interesting living in Dubai.

Good luck finding your buggy, again, so sorry that it was stolen.

[Cubby]

I take it the baby wasnt in the buggy at the time...what if..??

[margt]

I wouldn't leave my child on there own for 1 second - the buggy is obviously different!

I spoke to a lady in the coffee shop shortly after the incident, which is located across the hall from the doctors. I asked her if there was anyone in her cafe who was not a regular that morning as it was very quiet around and none of the shops were opened except her Cafe. She said that there was an Indian lady with a young toddler and she bought something unusual for her child as it was a local delicacy. I asked if she had a buggy with her and she said no. Now, I'm not one to jump to conclusions but the chances are that it probably was this Indian lady.

I'll buy a new buggy, but can't wait until I bump into her with her kid in my old buggy. There are not many of these buggy's around Singapore and I haven’t seen one in the same colour as mine since we arrived - I also know the exact markings on it too. I live right next door to Parkway Parade so spend a good bit of time in there, the chances are she shops in there too and lives close by as she was out and about quite early with her kid. I’m convinced that I will see her pushing her kid in it at some point over the next year and when I do, I'll promptly take back what is mine!

[durain]

stealing a pushchair is so unethical! make me want to do a stakeout and put the bail to see what kind of low life would steal a pushchair. a pushchair is an essential part for a mum, ooops... i mean parents, to be able to go out with their little ones.

is your phil & teds a double? if yes, they are not very common in singapore. also, did you check with the shopping mall's security if they got CCTV?

[Asian_Geekette]

No one expects someone to steal a buggy like that. It really is like stealing candy from a baby - very unfair and shows how low some people can go. I'm glad to know that this kind of thing is happening in Singapore so I can be wary of that when I arrive.

When I read this line, I remembered the note that was published in the Sunday pamphlet in the church I go to... I can't believe it when I read it. I'm typing what was printed there:

"Donation of Used Items for SSVP
Please note that if you are donating used items of clothing, etc for the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, please drop it into the collection box at the Annexe (sic) Building. Do not leave it outside the box as items have been known to be carted away by passers-by. Thank you for your co-operation."

When I read it, it blew me away! Obviously (for me), what is placed around/near the collection box would be for charity... But to have other people cart it away! Whoa!