Elderly man fined for hoisting rubbish onto neighbour’s ledge
An 88-year-old Singaporean man was fined S$3,000 after repeatedly lifting bags of rubbish onto his upstairs neighbour’s air-conditioning ledge using a long pole.
He did it 24 times over several months, intending to harass the other man.
Choo Hoe Chiang pleaded guilty to one count of using threatening behaviour under the Protection from Harassment Act.
A second similar charge was taken into consideration.
Used a pole to dump rubbish upstairs
Choo lived in an HDB block along Margaret Drive, CNA reported.
His neighbour, a 60-year-old man, lived directly above him. The two were not on good terms.
Source: Google Maps. Image for illustrative purposes only.
Between Nov 2024 and Jan 2025, Choo placed rubbish on the neighbour’s air-con ledge by attaching plastic bags of refuse to the end of a pole and lifting them through his kitchen window.
He did this 18 times, fully intending to harass the victim.
The neighbour feared for his safety each time he had to remove the rubbish from his 12th-floor unit.
Feeling harassed, the upstairs neighbour eventually called the police in Nov 2024, saying rubbish kept appearing outside his flat and he suspected the unit below.
He also had closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage that captured Choo’s actions.
According to a second charge taken into consideration, Choo repeated the acts six more times between June and Aug 2025.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Man asks for reduced summon in court
Choo arrived in court with his son and did not hire a lawyer.
He was hard of hearing and told the judge he could not read the statement of facts because he did not have his glasses, but later clarified that his son had already gone through it with him.
District Judge Carol Ling called his actions not only threatening but also “highly anti-social”.
She sentenced him to a S$3,000 fine, with 10 days’ jail if he does not pay.
According to CNA, after hearing the amount, Choo said, “Can I plead with you, your honour, to reduce the summon.”
“Because we are very poor. No income. Please reduce it a bit, please.”
The judge replied that the sentence had already been passed, and said a counsellor would speak to him.
Victim has since moved out
According to Shin Min Daily News (SMDN), when reporters visited the block, residents said the neighbour had moved out more than a month ago.
His unit is currently under renovation.
A same-floor resident shared that they had seen Choo knocking on the neighbour’s door previously, appearing to look for him.
Despite the repeated incidents and the strained relationship, Choo offered no explanation in court for why he behaved this way.
Also read: Man caught on video littering from high-rise & urinating at Serangoon HDB corridor demands DNA proof
Man caught on video littering from high-rise & urinating at Serangoon HDB corridor demands DNA proof
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.
