A 22-year-old man was arrested on Saturday (30 May) after he allegedly broke into a flat in Yishun with a pair of pliers.
He allegedly stole S$520 in cash and various cards from the unit, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release sent to MS News the day after.
Source: Singapore Police Force on Facebook. Photo for illustration purposes only.
The flat, located in Block 225 Yishun Street 21, was broken into on Saturday morning.
The S$520 in cash was purportedly stolen along with bank cards, NRICs and an EZ-Link card.
Source: Google Maps
The police was called at about 9.50am, SPF said.
Officers from Woodlands Police Division and Police Operations Command Centre investigated the case via ground enquiries and made use of images from CCTV and police cameras.
They identified the 22-year-old man and arrested him in the vicinity of Block 744 Yishun Street 72.
Source: Google Maps
This was achieved within four hours of the report being made.
In the man’s possession were the stolen bank cards, NRICs and the EZ-Link card.
Also seized was a pair of pliers that was allegedly used to break into the flat.
It will be used as a case exhibit, SPF said.
Source: Singapore Police Force
On Monday (1 June), the man will be charged in court with the offence of housebreaking under Section 451 of the Penal Code 1871.
If convicted, he faces up to ten years in prison and a fine.
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. Spare keys should also not be left in easily accessible or predictable locations outside the premises such as doormats or potted plants.
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.
Residents were also encouraged to get to know their neighbours so they can look out for one another and report suspicious persons in one another’s units to the police.
Also read: Man allegedly breaks into Mountbatten flat but steals nothing, gets charged with housebreaking
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Singapore Police Force and Google Maps.