A CNBC reporter conducted an actual experiment to test how safe Singapore is since our country was ranked second on the Safe Cities Index for 2017.
The experiment, captured on camera, showed that he placed his mobile, laptop and even his wallet on a table at Lau Pa Sat before scooting off to buy food.
While waiting for his food to be ready, another camera showed him checking out several stores in Singapore that did not adopt tight security measures.
Many open-concept stores have items left on display for people to see. The items are also within an arm’s length of passersby.
He went on to say that Singapore with a population of 5.5 million achieved a 30-year low crime rate in 2016.
In that same year, we also went by completely crime-free for a whooping 135 days.
He also walked past several cafes including Starbucks to show that there were no gates, locks or even a door to “close” their shops at night.
Many stores only have a rope or queue pole placed at the storefront to indicate that they are closed.
When it’s time to officially close shop, owners of the pop-up stalls at Raffles Xchange will cover their merchandise with a big canvas sheet.
This is nothing surprising for Singapore as many pop-up stores do that as it’s easier for them to open their shop for business in the morning.
Towards the end of the video, the reporter mentioned that it’s only safe in Singapore because we are closely watched by CCTV.
There are tens of thousands of cameras actively monitoring areas around Singapore including the store areas.
And it’s almost impossible to escape crime in Singapore.
He cited an example of how a man snatched a lady’s mobile on 2 Jan this year but was arrested three days later.
Back to the scene at Lau Pa Sat, the camera finally showed the reporter returning to his table with the plate of food in his hands.
His valuables were still intact despite being away for 2 mins and 17 seconds.
While some netizens praised Singapore for being an amazing safe city, some locals warned others not to be complacent and leave their valuables around.
Remember, low crime doesn’t mean no crime! Stay vigilant at all times.
Here’s the full experiment:
