SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman sought help online after her car was allegedly broken into while parked at Paradigm Mall in Johor Bahru.
Her cabin luggage and carry-all bag were reportedly stolen from the vehicle’s boot.
The woman, Julia Lim, shared her ordeal on the MY SG Road Trip – Eat, Play, Stay Malaysia! Facebook group on Sunday (15 June).
According to her post, the incident happened while her car was parked near the mall’s lift lobby between 2pm and 5pm.
Lim explained that when she returned to her vehicle, she discovered that the car’s window had been smashed and their carry-all and cabin luggage, which had been placed in the boot out of sight, were missing.
Lim said mall security assisted her in contacting the police, but she was unsure of the next steps.
She mentioned that they had travel insurance but did not know how to proceed.
Lim asked, “Should we cancel our staycation to return straight to Singapore or can we proceed to get the window repaired in JB?”
She also appealed for advice from the online community, noting that it was her first time facing such an incident.
Netizens Share Advice and Suggestions
Under Lim’s post, netizens flooded the comments section with advice, urging her to lodge a police report in Johor Bahru and contact her insurance provider.
One user suggested that if she planned to cut her trip short and return to Singapore, she could check with her travel insurance provider to see if it would cover a refund for her accommodation.
Several commenters, however, encouraged her to continue with the holiday, suggesting that she leave the car at a workshop for repairs.
“Might as well use the holiday to lift your spirits a little,” one person wrote.
Others reminded her not to leave valuables in the car.
In response, Lim explained that they had only stopped for lunch before heading to their Airbnb for check-in and that there were no obvious valuables left in plain view inside the vehicle.
Some netizens also remarked that Paradigm Mall was usually considered a safe location due to regular security patrols and good lighting.
Police Report Filed
A few hours later, Lim provided an update on the situation.
She said they were advised by the investigating officer (IO) at the scene to go to the nearest police station to make a formal report, which had to be in Malay.
To assist with the process, they wrote out a full account of what happened along with a list of the stolen items, using Google Translate so that the officer only needed to copy it over in Malay.
After filing the report, they were instructed to return to Paradigm Mall to meet the IO again, although the reason for this was unclear due to the language barrier at the police station.
Lim expressed that she was not particularly upset by the financial loss but found the inconvenience of dealing with the repairs frustrating.
Strangely, she noted that the thieves had left behind her Touch ‘n Go card, Singapore CashCard, and Takashimaya vouchers, which were left scattered across the passenger seat.
Decides to Return to Singapore
In a subsequent update on Monday morning (16 June), Lim said they had gone back to meet the IO, only to be met by yet another officer.
The police took more photos and then instructed them to proceed to Skudai Police Station to give another statement, despite the fact that they had already lodged a report at Tampoi Station.
Lim and her companions decided to cut their trip short and return to Singapore.
Despite the ordeal, Lim expressed her appreciation for Paradigm Mall’s management.
They arranged for housekeeping staff to vacuum and clean up the broken glass and helped seal the car window with plastic and tape.
The mall also assigned a security guard to watch over the vehicle while they managed to grab a quick meal before leaving.
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