Going to collect your mail downstairs, only to stare at a letterbox that’s been pried open, can be deeply unsettling. After all, some important documents are sent via snail mail.
Budget 2020 grocery vouchers are a precious commodity now it seems, as a handful of people are after them — even if it means taking them from others.
On Thursday (15 Oct), police revealed that they have arrested 7 people for stealing vouchers from HDB letterboxes in several neighbourhoods.
Authorities are now advising residents to quickly collect their vouchers, and keep their letterboxes secured at all times.
According to a Facebook post by Singapore Police Force, 4 men and 3 women, aged between 23 and 54, were arrested for looting the vouchers from HDB letterboxes.
Here’s a breakdown of the latest 6 suspects and where they had allegedly stolen the vouchers from:
The 7th suspect is a 37-year-old woman, who purportedly committed the crime at a block along Toa Payoh Lorong 7. Details of the case were reported yesterday (14 Oct).
The youngest suspects of the bunch, aged 23 and 24, will be charged in court tomorrow (16 Oct).
As for the remaining ones, investigations are still ongoing. But police deduce that these cases are likely not related to one another and purely “opportunistic in nature”.
They will be charged under Section 379 of the Penal Code for theft. They now face up to 3 years’ jail, a fine, or both.
With a string of similar incidences occurring at different estates, police believe it’s wise to:
If you spot any suspicious characters lurking around letterboxes, call 999 right away. Similarly, if you think someone has stolen your vouchers, it’s time to make a police report.
Do call the Grocery Voucher hotline at 1800-2222-888 to ask for replacement.
You may also request for your stolen vouchers to be voided. That way, culprits won’t be able to use them anymore.
Hearing recurring incidences of grocery voucher theft highlights a deeper issue in our society: Are livelihoods at risk? Are people struggling to afford groceries? Or is it purely driven by greed?
We hope police investigations will shed light upon these worrying situations.
In the meantime, if you need food, you can consider reaching out to Sengkang Food Rescue who are actively trying to feed the needy. There’s no need to resort to stealing.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Facebook and courtesy of SingPost.
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