SINGAPORE - It was meant to be a leisurely weekend jaunt to Johor Bahru like many others he had made over the years.

On April 2, however, a Singaporean man and his family had a rude shock when the four of them returned to their car after shopping at a local market and saw that one of its windows had been smashed.

The businessman, who wanted to be known only as Rino, had parked his BMW 218i Gran Coupe in a sheltered parking lot at a Pandan wholesale market after midnight.

About 50 minutes later, they were ready to leave when they realised that there was a gaping hole above the door on the driver’s side.

A check revealed that a bag that contained items including a crane operating licence, some cash amounting to RM100 (S$28), a smartwatch as well as a bunch of housekeys, had gone missing.

The bag was placed under the driver’s seat, according to a police report made after the incident and seen by The Straits Times.

Mr Rino estimates that replacing the window would cost around $500.

“We were there for just a short while to buy some clothes. I think I was unlucky this time,” the 47-year-old said, adding that the car was loaned to him by a workshop as his own BMW 216d Gran Tourer was being serviced.

He said a dashcam camera in the car did not capture any footage as it was turned off, but he will leave local police to conduct investigations.

This is the first time in 20 years of visiting Johor Bahru that Mr Rino has encountered ...