I just saw a shocking photo of how "Passers-by catch, tie up 'thief' at Chong Pang Market" in Singapore today. You can read The Straits Times online news article here and see The Straits Times Facebook photo here.
IMHO, it is shocking how some commented that the accused deserved the barbaric treatment. From the photo: the accused was tied like an animal for slaughter and his hands and legs looks like they've turned purple -- a clear sign of insufficient blood and oxygen flow. Who will support this guy if his hands and feet are amputated due to tissue death? What makes Singaporeans think that it is ok to be a barbaric posse -- regardless of the crime committed?
[Note: I am not opposed to tying the thief up, but the posse should ensure that it is done in a way that does not harm the suspect. Deterrence should be just enough force applied, not excessive, otherwise IMHO the "deterrence" is really a flimsy excuse for assault.]
In contrast, another story (from Oklahoma, USA) shared on the same Facebook thread by another commenter illustrates how the story could have had a different ended. Long story short: Man stole woman's wallet, woman caught man, offered to pay his groceries, man cried and apologize profusely.
"The last thing he said was, 'I'll never forget tonight. I'm broke, I have kids, I'm embarrassed and I'm sorry.'" -- Yahoo! Shine, Ellen's Good News, Tue Oct 22, 2013.
Think again. Has Singapore devolved back to the Charles Dicken's era?
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[Extracted from The Straits Times online]
Published on Dec 04, 2013 at 8:33 AM
Alert passers-by foiled a theft yesterday, when a man allegedly tried to steal a fishmonger's takings while he was serving a customer.
The 50-year-old stall worker, who gave his name as Mr Ye, had been chopping fish when the thief was said to have snatched about $200 from a container on the counter at Chong Pang Market.
"He stuffed it into a plastic bag, turned around and ran," Mr Ye told Chinese evening paper Shin Min Daily News. "That's when I shouted for help."
His plea caught the attention of other tenants and passers-by, who caught the 55-year-old man and restrained him with cable ties.
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