MAN ARRESTED FOR HOUSEBREAKING AND THEFT WITHIN FOUR HOURS

The Police have arrested a 26-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of housebreaking and theft.

On 10 March 2023 at about 12.50pm, the Police were alerted to a case of housebreaking at a unit providing foot reflexology located at Lorong 1 Toa Payoh. Cash amounting to $1,470 was reported stolen from the location.

Through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from Police cameras and CCTVs, officers from Tanglin Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him within four hours of the report. The man is believed to be involved in another similar case of housebreaking and theft in the vicinity of Toa Payoh Central.

The man will be charged in court on 11 March 2023 with housebreaking and theft under Section 451 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.

The Police would like to advise all property owners to adopt the following crime prevention measures:

Secure all doors, roller shutters, windows and other openings with good quality grilles and padlocks when leaving your premises unattended, even for a short while;

Refrain from keeping large sums of cash and valuables in your premises; and

Install a burglar alarm, motion sensor lights and/or CCTVs, to cover the access points into your premises. Ensure that they are tested periodically and are in good working condition.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
10 March 2023 @ 10:52 PM

POLICE ADVISORY ON THE RE-EMERGENCE OF SCAMS INVOLVING SCAMMERS PRETENDING TO BE FRIENDS

The Police would like to remind members of the public about a persistent trend observed in relation to the fake friend scam variant, which involves scammers contacting victims through text messages (e.g. via WhatsApp) or phone/WhatsApp calls, pretending to be someone they know, and thereafter asking for financial assistance. Since January 2023, at least 945 victims have fallen prey, with total losses amounting to at least $3.2 million.

In these cases, victims would receive text messages or phone calls from unknown numbers (with or without the “+65” prefix), identifying themselves as the victims’ friend or acquaintance, and asking the victims to guess their identity. In response, victims would provide the name of a friend they believed the caller could be. The caller would then assume the identity of the said person, claim that he has a new contact number (e.g. claiming that he had lost his phone) and ask the victim to update his contact details.

A few days later, the caller would contact the victim, impersonate his friend, and ask for a loan claiming that he was unable to perform a banking transaction or is experiencing financial difficulties. Victims would be provided with a local bank account to transfer money to. Victims would only discover that they had been scammed after contacting their actual friends whom the scammers had impersonated, or when their money was not returned as promised.

The Police would like to advise members of the public to adopt the following precautionary measures:

1. ADD – ScamShield App and set security features (e.g., enable two-factor (2FA) or multifactor authentication for banks, social media, Singpass accounts; set transaction limits on internet banking transactions, including PayNow)
2. CHECK – for scam signs with official sources (e.g. visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 1800-722-6688). Verify whether the request is legitimate by checking with your family and friends through alternative means such as physical meet-ups, video calls or email other than using the new contact details on your phone.
3. TELL – authorities, family, and friends about scams. Beware of unusual requests from someone purporting to be someone you know via text messages or phone/WhatsApp calls. Report the number to WhatsApp to initiate in-app blocking.

If you have any information relating to such crimes or if you are in doubt, please call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential. If you require urgent Police assistance, please dial ‘999’.

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Helpline at 1800-722-6688. Join the ‘Spot the Signs. Stop the Crimes’ campaign at www.scamalert.sg/fight by signing up as an advocate to receive up-to-date messages and share them with your family and friends. Fighting scams is a community effort. Together, we can ACT Against Scams to safeguard our community!

Conversation between a scammer and victim on WhatsApp

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
10 March 2023 @ 8:15 PM

78-year-old Chua Kim Seng, a busker who was purportedly robbed by a man who took money from his tip jar and fled the scene, said that the man had approached him and asked him for money to eat.

Chua, known affectionately to the public as Uncle Chua, spoke to Shin Min Daily News and said that at the time of the incident on 7 March, the man had approached him and asked him for money to eat.

The man told Uncle Chua that he needed $2, and reached into Chua’s tip jar of money to take the money, before walking away.

Chua said that he decided against going after the man and stopping him because it was just a small amount of money.

An elderly woman who passed by at the time, tried to give chase to the man but it’s unclear if she managed to catch up with him in the end or not.

Chua said that he told the passerby what had happened but told her that it was not a big deal, and the latter then told him to lodge a police report but he decided not to do so.

He told SMDN that it was not the first time he had encountered the man, who was described to be in his 20s.

He said that the man usually shows up and asks him for $2 to buy food, but Chua doesn’t mind giving the man money.

A huge fire broke out at an industrial building at Tuas, appearing to engulf the whole building on 13 March.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to the fire at about 6.15pm, and firefighters fought the fire for about 2 hours before it was brought under control.

A total of 26 emergency vehicles and 80 SCDF personnel were deployed to combat the huge raging fire, and 2 workers sustained minor injuries but refused conveyance to the hospital.

SCDF’s statement

[Fire @ 28, Tuas South Avenue 8]

Firefighting operation is ongoing at the above-mentioned location.

SCDF firefighters are currently at work with two water jets and a ground monitor.

This is expected to be an extended firefighting operation.

SCDF’s 1st update

[Update 1: Fire @ 28, Tuas South Avenue 8]

Firefighting operations are ongoing at the above-mentioned location. SCDF has sent out an SMS through the SMS Public Alert System and a message via the SGSecure app to advise members of public to avoid the area.

The above message was sent out to members of public within the vicinity of the incident location.

SCDF’s 2nd update

[Update 2: Fire @ 28, Tuas South Avenue 8]

At about 6:15 p.m. today (13 Mar), SCDF was alerted to a fire at the above location. SCDF is at scene conducting firefighting operations.

Upon SCDF’s arrival, the fire was raging inside a warehouse. The warehouse is connected to an industrial building.

SCDF firefighters are fighting the fire with six water jets and an unmanned firefighting machine.

In view of the ongoing fire operation, members of the public are advised to avoid the area.

SCDF’s 3rd update

[Update 3: Fire @ 28, Tuas South Avenue 8]

Earlier this evening, SCDF was alerted to a fire at the above location. SCDF is at scene conducting firefighting operations.

The fire, size of about one and a half football fields, had engulfed an industrial building as well as the inter-connecting warehouse. The fire involved solvents and flammable construction materials.

SCDF firefighters are fighting the fire with eight water jets and one Unmanned Firefighting Machine (UFM).

Two workers were earlier assessed by an SCDF paramedic for blisters on the hands and forehead respectively. They refused conveyance to the hospital.

There are no other reported injuries.

In view of the ongoing firefighting operation, members of the public are advised to avoid the area.

SCDF’s final update

[Final Update: Fire @ 28, Tuas South Avenue 8]

At about 6:15 p.m. yesterday (13 March), SCDF was alerted to a fire at the above location.

The fire, the size of about one and a half football fields, had engulfed an industrial building consisting of warehouse and production areas, including a six-storey production unit. The fire involved chemical solvents and flammable construction materials. A total of 26 emergency vehicles and about 80 personnel were deployed for this incident.

At the height of the firefighting operation, SCDF firefighters deployed eight water jets and an Unmanned Firefighting Machine. The fire was brought under control at about 8:15 p.m.

Earlier in the evening, two workers were assessed by an SCDF paramedic for blisters on the hands and forehead respectively. They refused conveyance to the hospital. There were no other reported persons who had sustained injuries.

The firefighting operation is still ongoing. Once the fire has been extinguished, firefighters will remain at the site to damp down* the affected areas with water.

*Damp down refers to the application of water to wet burnt surfaces immediately after a fire is put out. It is to prevent the potential rekindling of the fire.

Witnesses POV