Bus captain Teo Lai Huat discovered a lost diamond ring valued at about $35,000 during an end-of-trip inspection at Kent Ridge Terminal on May 11 and returned it to the owner, SBS Transit confirmed [1, 2]. The owner, Ms Clarissa Tan, had lost the diamond solitaire ring on SBS Transit bus service 10 after drinks with friends the same evening [1].

Mr Teo, 54, who has been a bus captain with SBS Transit for nearly 30 years, said the ring was the most unusual item he has recovered. “The moment I saw the ring, I knew the owner must have been very worried. If someone loses something valuable, they would naturally hope for it to be returned. I simply did what I felt was right,” he said [1, 2].

After finding the ring around 10:50 p.m., Mr Teo handed it over to his supervisor at the terminal to be kept safely until claimed by the owner [1, 2]. Ms Tan contacted SBS Transit the next morning to report the loss and was relieved to learn the ring had been found [1, 2]. She described the ring as precious both monetarily and sentimentally and expressed deep gratitude, saying Mr Teo “turned what could have been a heartbreaking loss into a reminder that there are still many good and honourable people among us” [1, 2].

A spokesperson for SBS Transit, Grace Wu, praised Mr Teo’s honesty and professionalism. “We are immensely proud of Lai Huat for exemplifying honesty, compassion and professionalism through his actions. His dedication to doing the right thing and going the extra mile to ensure the ring was safely returned reflects the CARES culture at SBS Transit,” she said on May 27 [2].

SBS Transit said all lost items found by bus captains are recorded and kept at terminals or depots to help owners reclaim them systematically [2]. Other unusual lost items recovered include travel luggage, passports, electrical tools, musical instruments, and motorcycle helmets [2].

SBS Transit’s Facebook post about the incident received more than 1,600 likes, with users praising Mr Teo’s integrity. Commenter Doris Ong said, “That’s the kind of thing that truly restores your faith in humanity” [1].