Man allegedly breaks into Mountbatten flat but steals nothing, gets charged with housebreaking

Man charged with housebreaking after allegedly climbing into Mountbatten flat via window

A 27-year-old man allegedly broke into a flat in Mountbatten but stole nothing.

He was nevertheless charged with housebreaking, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release sent to MS News on Friday (27 Feb).

Police alerted to suspected housebreaking in Mountbatten flat

At about 6.32pm on Thursday (26 Feb), SPF was alerted when a unit along Pine Close was purportedly broken into.

The culprit had allegedly climbed into the unit through the window facing the common corridor, according preliminary investigations.

However, no items were reported to have been stolen.

Police identify & arrest man for housebreaking within 5 hours

Officers from Bedok Police Division conducted ground enquiries and perused images from police cameras and CCTV cameras.

They identified the man and arrested him for his suspected involvement in a case of housebreaking.

This was accomplished within five hours of the report being made, SPF said.

Man charged on 28 Feb

On Saturday (28 Feb), the man was charged in court with the offence of housebreaking in order to commit theft under Section 451 of the Penal Code 1871.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in jail and a fine.

According to Singapore Statutes Online, a person is said to commit housebreaking when they commit criminal trespass by entering any part of their body into, or remaining in, any premises used as a human dwelling, a place for worship or a place for the custody of property.

Property owners advised to adopt crime prevention measures

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.

Also read: Police looking for suspect who allegedly entered home in Upper Thomson without permission