Caught on camera: Delivery rider accused of staging 'accident' to score free meal
A resident got more than he bargained for when he went to throw out his rubbish.
Mysterious stains along the common corridor led him to check his home CCTV footage, only to uncover what appeared to be a bizarre attempt by a food delivery rider to score a free meal by faking an accident.
The "drama", as the resident described it, unfolded at a Sengkang HDB block, with the delivery rider's alleged antics all caught on camera.
Mr Han, a 30-year-old engineer who lives in the block, told Shin Min Daily News that he first noticed the strange stains on the walkway.
Curious, he reviewed his home CCTV footage, which then revealed the peculiar incident.
In the footage, a man in a blue shirt, believed to be a delivery rider, is seen arriving on a bicycle.
He takes a bag of food out of his delivery box, places it on the ground, then slowly lays his bicycle down before taking photos.
The man then takes a bag of what appears to be curry and throws it on the ground.
When it doesn't break open the first time, he throws it down again with more force, causing the bag to rupture and curry to spill everywhere.
He continued with his actions even as several passers-by walked past.
After taking his "accident scene" photos, he puts the food back into his delivery box, fiddles with his phone - presumably to report the "accident" to the delivery platform - and then pushes his bicycle away, leaving the mess behind.
Mr Han suspects the rider might have coveted the food order and resorted to this elaborate scheme to "scam" a free meal.
He revealed that he used to be a delivery rider himself and found the man's actions despicable.
"I found it very funny. To stage such an elaborate act, all for a bit of food, it completely shames all delivery riders," he said.
The CCTV footage also reportedly captured the rider completing an order upstairs before coming down to enact the alleged charade.
The video quickly went viral online, drawing a chorus of disapproval. Netizens widely condemned the rider's alleged attempt to scam a free meal.
The fallout from the incident, however, extended beyond just the rider's actions. Sympathy poured in for the cleaners who would have to deal with the spilt curry.
One online user commented: "Did he fake an accident, just to get free food home? Poor cleaner, has to clear the mess."
Food business owners also weighed in, expressing their frustration over the broader consequences of such inconsiderate acts.
"As a shop owner, we get bad reviews because customers don't get food on time or when food never arrives… and we lose our customers. Just isn't right," one stated.