Yishun resident surprised by late-night visit from ice cream-selling ‘student’ at 11pm

SINGAPORE: An incident in Yishun has left one resident surprised as a young man was spotted visiting his unit around 11 pm on Oct 20, with the intention of selling ice cream.

The encounter, captured on the resident’s doorbell camera, has raised questions about the appropriateness and legality of such late-night sales.

The resident, who shared the video with Stomp, a citizen journalism platform, narrated the encounter with the young man.

In the video, the youth is heard apologizing for potentially waking the resident up and explaining that he and his brother, both students at Republic Polytechnic, are engaging in the sale of ice cream as a means to support their studies.

He mentioned that he and his brother work from 4.30 pm to 11 pm after school to sell it.

However, the young man was not carrying a license or any documentation related to his ice cream sales.

The resident, concerned about the legitimacy of their agenda and food safety, declined to make a purchase.

The youth apologized once again and wished the resident a “good night” before leaving.

The Stomper noted that this was not an isolated incident, as the same person had visited his unit a couple of months ago.

“This guy is going around selling ice cream late at night, saying they’re doing this to support him and his brother’s studies,” said the Stomper.

“It’s a bit inappropriate, first off for food safety, we don’t know where the ice cream comes from or the legitimacy of their agenda.

He added that “the timing they choose to do this (is also inappropriate).”

Additionally, he mentioned that several of his friends in the Yishun and Sembawang area had similar encounters with the ice cream seller.

When asked if he had reported the incidents to the authorities, the Stomper stated that he hadn’t, considering a police report might be excessive.

“Although what they are doing is unethical, I think a police report is a bit too much,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that activities like this typically require a permit.

The incident has sparked concerns about the appropriateness of late-night food sales and the need for proper permits in such cases.

Residents are left wondering about the source and safety of the ice cream being sold and the legality of these activities in their community.

Authorities may need to look into this issue to ensure the safety and well-being of both the sellers and the residents of Yishun.

Online debates surround mysterious ice cream sales

Online commenters have expressed a variety of opinions on this situation.

Despite the questionable nature of these transactions, some are open to supporting these sellers, driven by a desire to help individuals with their side businesses.

Evidently, this is not an isolated occurrence, as numerous users have shared their encounters with similar sellers, highlighting that these individuals are generally polite.

“I rather buy from them even if it’s expensive for their well manners and being a good child, not stealing, roaming or making any nuisance,” one user said.

One user described a process in which the seller would inquire if you were interested in buying ice cream and, if you agreed, they would contact someone to deliver the ice cream.

It is suggested that this may explain why the seller appeared empty-handed at first, possibly to avoid making noise while transporting it on a trolley through the hallway when knocking on doors.

Some suspect that it might be a “scam”

However, there are contrasting opinions among users. Some believe it could be a scam, primarily due to the high prices of the ice cream, which they deem not to be of high quality.

Another theory posited by a user is that there might be an organized group or syndicate involved in this situation.

Additionally, a user recounted an incident where they allegedly nearly became involved with such a syndicate during their youth but eventually recognized it as a “scam.”

In a separate account, another individual claimed that they have worked for this organization for just one day before uncovering its true nature as a syndicate and promptly resigning.