A 47-year-old man was arrested after allegedly throwing several household items from a 20th-floor flat in Bukit Batok during a six-hour police standoff on Sep. 21, 2026.
The incident happened at Block 393 Bukit Batok West Avenue 5, where residents became alarmed after objects began falling from one of the units.
According to reports by Shin Min Daily News, the items thrown from the flat included shoes, clothes, a sofa cushion, a hair dryer, a bicycle and a child’s scooter.
One resident told Shin Min that the incident initially appeared to involve only shoes, but became more serious when a bicycle was thrown from the high-rise unit.
Police and SCDF respond to incident
The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they received calls for assistance at around 11am.
Officers subsequently established that the man had locked himself inside the residential unit and was refusing to open the door.
Police assessed that he posed a danger to himself and activated officers from the Special Operations Command and Crisis Negotiation Unit. SCDF personnel were also deployed to assist with the operation.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers worked to safely gain access to the flat.
At around 5.05pm, police managed to enter the unit and arrested the man for a rash act. Investigations are ongoing.
SCDF prepares safety equipment below block
Given that objects had already been thrown from the high-rise flat, emergency responders put several precautions in place around the block.
SCDF deployed two safety life air packs at ground level as a precaution. Its Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) also rappelled from the affected unit.
An area on the ground, reportedly around half the size of a basketball court, was cordoned off while the operation was underway.
Residents passing through the area were advised by police not to remain near the block unnecessarily. Despite this, some residents gathered outside the cordoned area to watch the operation.
Shirtless man seen at 20th-floor window
During the standoff, a shirtless man was reportedly seen at the window of the affected unit at around 2.25pm.
Shin Min reported that he was initially sitting on a sofa inside the living room before gradually moving towards the window.
He was later seen resting one arm against the window and appeared to be muttering to himself at times. He eventually moved back inside the flat.
Photographs from the scene showed the man looking out from the window while SCDF officers positioned themselves nearby, with a safety net prepared as part of the emergency response.
Police later forced their way into the unit, reportedly cutting through the metal gate at the entrance.
No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
The man remains under investigation for the alleged rash act.