A 60-year-old man has been arrested after a suspected housebreaking in the Bartley area last weekend.
Homeowners found a branded watch and S$400 in cash missing from the residence in How Sun Estate, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release.
Source: Google Maps
SPF was alerted to the incident at about 9.12pm on 28 Feb, it said.
The man had allegedly entered the home without permission, according to preliminary investigations.
He then allegedly stole S$400 in cash and a luxury branded watch worth S$38,900.
During the investigation, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division conducted ground enquiries and made use of images from police cameras and CCTV.
They identified the man and arrested him on Tuesday (3 March).
The watch was recovered and seized as evidence.
Source: Singapore Police Force
The homeowner, a 39-year-old market researcher named only as Ms Huang (transliterated from Mandarin), told Shin Min Daily News that she and her husband were not home during the incident.
When they returned to their single-storey terrace at about 9pm, their neighbour’s domestic helper ran over and showed them a video of an older man.
“She said the man was loitering suspiciously outside their house, and she thought he was a relative or someone we knew,” Ms Huang said.
After confirming that the man was a stranger, they immediately called the police and checked their belongings.
She then discovered that the cash and her watch, which was a gift from her husband, were missing.
The helper, who did not want to be identified, told the Chinese daily that she saw the man enter her neighbour’s house and leave after about 10 minutes.
She took a video of him but did not dare to approach him as she did not know who he was.
Another helper from the house opposite also saw the man carrying a white bag and quickly disappearing into an alley.
Source: Google Maps
On Thursday (5 March), the man was charged in court with the offence of housebreaking under Section 451 of the Penal Code 1871.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in jail and a fine, SPF said.
Charge sheets seen by Shin Min identified him as Tan Sun Heng.
He allegedly entered the house via an unlocked door at about 8.57pm.
Tan had previously been convicted of a similar offence on 13 Jan 2021.
Details of the hearing on the SG Courts website showed that Tan was not represented by a lawyer.
Source: SG Courts
He remains in remand, with his case set to be heard again next Thursday (12 March).
SPF advised property owners to adopt crime prevention measures, including securing openings on their property with good-quality grilles and padlocks when unattended.
They should avoid keeping large sums of cash and valuables on the premises.
A burglar alarm, motion sensor lights, and/or CCTV cameras may also be installed at the access points into the premises.
These devices should be tested periodically to ensure they are in good working condition.
Ms Huang said she was relieved that the suspect had been caught, and has now installed an extra lock on her gate.
The capture of the alleged burglar comes after another suspected housebreaking in Hillview Crescent on 2 March, with valuables also reported missing.
Earlier on 21 Feb, a man allegedly entered a landed home along Marigold Drive, in the Upper Thomson area, without permission.
This was not the only recent attempted housebreaking in the area, as a similar incident took place in Taman Permata on 17 Feb, reported The Straits Times (ST).
Both landed property homes are along Upper Thomson Road and near the forested Central Catchment Nature Reserve.
International criminal syndicates have also reportedly been breaking into landed properties in Singapore, stealing millions in cash and valuables.
Last year, four Chinese nationals were arrested for allegedly scouting private homes in Bukit Timah for burglary.
Also read: Valuables missing after suspected housebreaking at Hillview Crescent, police appeal for information
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Google Maps and Singapore Police Force.