Grocery store faces significant losses, calls for public vigilance to prevent further theft.
SINGAPORE: Angel Supermart has made public its discovery of two employees involved in stealing large sums of money, with losses reportedly amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
On May 28, the supermarket posted two updates on its Facebook page, first revealing that cashier Hawa Mami had been arrested for theft. Later that afternoon, a second post confirmed the arrest of Norliah Binte Abd Aziz for the same offence.
“We believe the total amount lost may well run into $100,000 – $200,000,” the grocery chain stated. Angel Supermart explained that these unauthorised losses had been ongoing and could have made the business unsustainable if not addressed promptly.
In the first post, the supermarket urged the public to alert management if they noticed irregularities, such as unscanned items or failure to issue receipts. “We will pay a handsome tip if you alert us to any of this, thank you for your actions to keep our business afloat,” it added.
The second post carried a more emotional tone, as the store expressed its disappointment in discovering that Norliah, who had been with the company since 2017, was involved in the theft. An audit on May 27, following Hawa’s arrest, revealed that Norliah had deleted 21 transactions under false pretenses.
The supermarket estimated that $100 to $150 was lost in just one day, with total losses potentially reaching between $100,000 and $200,000. “We are sad it has come to this,” the post read, as the supermarket reflected on the personal connections formed with employees like Norliah. “She was close to many of us, we celebrated birthdays, weddings, funerals, and so many other occasions.”
Angel Supermart thanked the public for their vigilance and urged them to continue helping to protect the livelihoods of others working at the supermarket.
