'Ran till we were out of breath': 3 employees give chase after man snatches iPhone 17 Pro Max from Hougang shop

A man allegedly posed as a buyer of an iPhone 17 Pro Max and stole the device the moment a mobile phone store employee turned away from the counter.

Despite a 15-minute-long chase involving three employees, the alleged thief ultimately escaped with the phone, priced at nearly $2,000.

The incident occurred at Block 811 Hougang Central at about 1pm on Tuesday (Oct 20), reported Shin Min Daily News.

Store employee Jiang Jinqi (transliteration), told the Chinese publication that he served the customer, who wore a motorcycle helmet and appeared to be in his 20s, saying that the customer wanted to see the iPhone 17 Pro Max 512GB model in Cosmic Orange.

"He inspected it and asked for the price. When I turned around to retrieve an item, he snatched the phone and left," Jiang, 34, recounted.

Together with his colleague Cai Jinhong (transliteration) and an employee from another shop, they gave chase.

Cai revealed to Shin Min that he caught up with the alleged thief but could not detain him.

"The man broke free (from my grasp) and I slipped, causing me to strain my back," he explained.

The trio reportedly searched nearby bus stops, the MRT station and toilets of the mall, but could not find him again.

"The three of us ran around for 15 minutes, till we were out of breath," Jiang said, adding that it is unlikely that the phone will be recovered.

The police confirmed to Shin Min that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

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