SINGAPORE: A bubble tea chain has decided against lodging a police report after surveillance cameras allegedly caught a little girl absconding with their loyalty stamp.

The company, TeaPulse, has said that it is now forced to overhaul a key part of its customer loyalty system due to the theft.

TeaPulse said the incident occurred at its i12 Katong branch, where a girl believed to be around nine years old reportedly reached over the counter and took the company’s loyalty stamp.

The stamp is used to mark customer loyalty cards, which can later be redeemed for free drinks or special items.

According to the company, the girl’s mother was on a phone call at the time but was looking in her daughter’s direction when the incident happened. TeaPulse initially appealed to the public for help, asking the mother or anyone who might recognise the pair to come forward and return the stamp. It also said it will be going to the police.

The company added that misuse of the stamp could undermine customer trust and the value of its rewards system.

In its posts, TeaPulse acknowledged that the situation might appear to be a case of childish mischief, but said longer footage suggested the act was deliberate. It also claimed both the child and her mother acted somewhat suspicious.

The company also sought public opinion, questioning whether its response might be seen as overly harsh. Some commenters said the company’s view of the incident was fair but others called for more compassion and urged the company to refrain from publicly shaming a minor.

In an update, TeaPulse said it would not pursue further action against the girl or her mother, effectively closing the matter.

“Stealing is wrong,” the company said, adding that even at the age of nine, such behaviour should already be understood as unacceptable.

Despite deciding to move on, TeaPulse now faces operational challenges. The company said it will have to work with its supplier to modify the design and colour of its loyalty stamp to distinguish it from the one that was allegedly taken.

As the changes will need to be implemented across all its outlets, the process is expected to be inconvenient.

TeaPulse said it understood that some members of the public may feel protective towards the child due to her age, but stressed that the incident could not simply be dismissed.

This article (Bubble tea chain decides against police report after girl allegedly takes loyalty stamp) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.