Seeing an unlocked taxi with its engine running, a man allegedly seized the opportunity to drive off with it.
The incident was related by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release on Friday (13 Sept) sent to MS News.
SPF was alerted on the same day at about 2.45pm, it said.
Photo for illustration purposes only.
A taxi driver had left his taxi unlocked along the driveway of a hotel along Jalan Rajah, which is off Balestier Road, SPF said.
His engine was also left running.
Source: Google Maps
When he came back about five minutes later, he found his taxi missing.
To find the suspect, officers from Tanglin Police Division and Ang Mo Kio Police Division made use of ground enquiries and images from police cameras.
They managed to establish the identity of the 28-year-old man and arrest him within seven hours of the report.
The stolen taxi was also recovered on the same day.
The suspect will be charged in court on Saturday (14 Sept) with theft of a motor vehicle under Section 379A of the Penal Code 1871.
If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to seven years and a fine.
SPF advised owners of motor vehicles to adopt crime prevention measures to protect themselves.
They should lock all doors and wind up all windows of their vehicle when they are leaving it, even for a short while.
Vehicles left unattended should also have their ignition keys removed, as well as cash cards and other valuables such as laptops and mobile phones.
Besides that, vehicles should also be parked in well-lit areas and equipped with a well-maintained anti-theft alarm system.
Also read: 3 Teens Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Car In Yishun, Vehicle Reportedly Abandoned At Carpark
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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Police are investigating the case.
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