3 arrested for loanshark harassment at units in Bukit Panjang & Jurong West
A 31-year-old man was arrested for loanshark harassment on Friday (16 Oct) after he was detained by a suspicious resident in Bukit Panjang.
He was among three people nabbed in one week for three separate cases of the offence in Bukit Panjang and Jurong West, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release seen by MS News.
Source: Singapore Police Force on Facebook. Photo for illustration purposes only.
Man seen carrying cans of paint at Bukit Panjang unit
In the early hours of Friday morning, the man was seen carrying a plastic bag filled with cans of paint at a residential unit along Segar Road.
An occupant of the unit became suspicious of the man’s behaviour and managed to detain him.
He was handed over to the police, which was alerted to a loanshark harassment case at 12.30am.
A marker, several cans of paint and a debtor’s note were seized for evidence.
The man was subsequently found to be involved in other similar loanshark harassment cases in Singapore, according to preliminary investigations.
Police alerted to earlier loanshark case in Bukit Panjang on 9 Oct
In an earlier case on 9 Oct, the main door of a unit along Senja Road was splashed with red and yellow paint.
Source: Singapore Police Force
Graffiti including “O$P$” was also scribbled on the wall next to the unit.
Source: Singapore Police Force
SPF was alerted to the loanshark harassment case at about 9.25pm that night.
Teenager arrested for loanshark harassment in Bukit Panjang
Officers from Jurong Police Division conducted follow-up investigations and viewed images from police cameras.
They managed to identify an 18-year-old male youth and arrested him on Friday.
The teenager is involved in several similar cases of loanshark harassment islandwide, according to preliminary investigations.
Jurong West unit targeted on 13 Oct
The third case involved a residential unit along Jurong West Street 93, which was targeted on 13 Oct.
In this case, its main door was splashed with green and blue paint.
Source: Singapore Police Force
A debtor’s note had also been placed on the main gate of the flat.
Source: Singapore Police Force
SPF was alerted to the loanshark harassment case at about 5pm that afternoon.
43-year-old man arrested for Jurong West loanshark harassement
Officers from Jurong Police Division conducted follow-up investigations and viewed images from police cameras.
They managed to identify a 43-year-old man and arrested him on Friday, seizing a debtor’s note as a case exhibit.
The man is involved in several similar cases of loanshark harassment across the island, according to preliminary investigations.
Trio charged with loanshark harassment
On Saturday (17 Oct), the teenager and two men were charged in court under the Moneylenders Act 2008.
For first-time offenders, the offence of loanshark harassment carries a fine of between S$5,000 and $50,000, along with up to five years in prison and caning of up to six strokes.
SPF said it has “zero tolerance” for loanshark harassment activities, adding:
Those who deliberately vandalise properties, cause annoyance or disrupt public safety, peace and security, will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.
It advised members of the public to stay away from loansharks and refrain from working with or assisting them in any way.
They may call the police at “999” to report suspected loansharking activities.
Also read: 27-year-old man in S’pore arrested for a series of loanshark harassment cases
27-year-old man in S’pore arrested for a series of loanshark harassment cases
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Featured image adapted from Singapore Police Force.
