In a bizarre incident, a 54-year-old man was taken into custody in the early hours of Friday morning after he deliberately provided false information to the authorities, sparking a massive response from law enforcement agencies. The man’s actions not only wasted valuable public resources but also caused unnecessary alarm among the public.
According to the police, the man contacted them at around 8:30 pm on Thursday, claiming that a taxi was carrying a gun under its bonnet. He further alleged that the taxi would be entering Singapore through one of the land checkpoints. However, the caller refused to provide his full details and chose to remain anonymous.
Acting on the tip-off, the police swiftly coordinated with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to track down the taxi in question. After an extensive search, the taxi was finally located and stopped at Woodlands Checkpoint. A thorough inspection of the vehicle revealed that the information provided by the caller was entirely false.
Undeterred, the police launched a follow-up investigation to identify the culprit behind the hoax call. Their efforts paid off when they arrested the 54-year-old man at around 1:10 am on Friday. He will be charged in court on Saturday with communicating false information about a harmful thing, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$50,000, or both.
The police have reiterated that all security threats are taken extremely seriously and that those who make false claims will face the full force of the law. “The making of false threats not only causes fear and inconvenience to the public but also diverts valuable resources that could be better utilized elsewhere,” the authorities emphasized. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of responsible behavior and the need to avoid making frivolous claims that can have serious consequences.