Home theft rises 25% in Singapore as physical crime slips
Reported theft inside Singapore homes climbed 25% in the first half of 2026, even as physical crime edged down across the city-state. Police said much of the increase involved people who already had access to or knew the premises, pointing to a risk inside private and shared spaces rather than a wave of break-ins.
Singapore recorded 459 theft-in-dwelling cases at residential properties between January and June, up from 367 a year earlier. Across every type of building, however, the category barely moved, rising from 726 to 730 cases, according to figures reported by South China Morning Post and detailed by Singapore’s CNA.
Homes therefore accounted for almost 63% of such cases, compared with about 51% during the same period of 2025. Overall physical crime slipped 0.4% to 10,287 cases. Back in 2023, Singapore posted a record number of suicides, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported.
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The Singapore police classify any theft that occurs in a residential or commercial building as theft in a dwelling. Non-forced entry is recorded separately from housebreaking, which rose from 56 to 64 cases. People who knew the property or could get in and valuables left in common areas drove the residential spike.
Sexual offences moved closer to home
Molestation cases increased 3.1% to 762. The overall increase was modest, but when you drill down by location the story is more striking.
Residential premises cases increased from 172 to 227, a rise of nearly 32%. Incidents by strangers on buses and trains fell from 74 to 55, and on public transport from 84 to 60. More than half of all reported molestations happened with someone the victim knew.
The Straits Times also reported that rape cases rose from 230 to 261 during the six-month period.
Shoplifting remains the biggest volume problem
Shop theft increased by 2.2% to 2,095 cases, accounting for one in five physical offences. Food, drinks, personal-care products, alcohol and clothing were some of the most commonly stolen items, with police still reporting shoplifting as one of the most common crimes among young people.
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Better detection might also affect recorded cases. Sheng Siong, the supermarket chain, said earlier that the number of thefts caught in its stores went up after it began using facial-recognition cameras, partly because repeat offenders could be identified more easily. The retailer began expanding the system across its network in 2025, according to CNA.
