SINGAPORE: Four foreigners have been arrested for possessing tools used for housebreaking after a one-day police manhunt at forested areas along the Rail Corridor.
The four men, aged between 36 and 41, are from China and are believed to be linked to housebreaking foreign syndicates involving Chinese nationals, the police said on Sunday (Aug 10).
They may be connected to other housebreaking-related cases reported in Singapore between April and July, they said, adding that investigations are underway.
On Friday, the police conducted an operation targeting housebreaking near the Rail Corridor and Bukit Timah Road.
They noted that suspects would typically exploit the forested areas along the Rail Corridor to conceal their movements, while attempting to commit housebreaking activities.
The joint operation involved officers from the Clementi Police Division, Police Operations Command Centre, Police Intelligence Department, Gurkha Contingent, Special Operations Command and the Home Team Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command.
Two suspects were arrested at the forested areas near the Rail Corridor on Friday. The third suspect was nabbed at a mall near Clementi later that night, while the fourth suspect was arrested the following morning at a hotel in Geylang.
Various housebreaking tools such as screwdrivers and spanners, clothing and cash amounting to more than S$400 (US$296) were found in the possession of the suspects and seized for investigations.
The four men will be charged on Sunday for possession of housebreaking implements with common intention.
If convicted, they may be fined and face a jail term extending to two years.
The police said on Sunday they “do not tolerate such brazen acts of crime and will spare no effort to apprehend offenders and deal with them to the fullest extent of the law”.
Between early June and August 2024, 10 housebreaking cases were reported in private estates around these areas, with stolen items valued at S$3.85 million (US$3 million).
The police added that they have stepped up measures to prevent and deter housebreaking and theft at private residential estates since June last year.
These include placing additional police cameras at strategic locations and frequent police patrols. The police have also conducted regular engagements with residents from the estates and have issued crime prevention advisories.
“While such crimes remain generally low, the police encourage residents to adopt the following crime prevention measures, such as installing CCTVs and burglar alarm systems to protect themselves and their homes,” said the police.
They also reminded residents to be vigilant against suspicious people lurking in residential estates and to report them to the police by calling 999.
