Serial housebreaker and snatch thief caught
Posted: 29 June 2012 1810 hrs
SINGAPORE: Police have arrested a 37-year-old man who is believed to be involved in at least five cases of break-ins and one case of snatch theft.
Between February 29 and June 25, five cases of break-ins involving residential and commercial units at Jalan Kukoh and Kreta Ayer were reported to the police.
Cash, laptops, cameras, a handbag and mobile phones amounting to a total worth of about S$9,000 were found missing from the units. In these cases, the suspect had entered the victims' premises through unsecured doors and by cutting the padlocks securing the gates.
In one of the cases, the suspect had used a bamboo stick to hook out the keys from the unit which were left unattended near to the main door of the premises.
Police arrested the suspect on Thursday at Upper Cross Street.
A cutter which was used in the break-ins was seized as exhibit.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is believed to be involved in at least five other similar cases committed in the vicinities of Jalan Kukoh and Kreta Ayer.
Separately, the same suspect is also believed to be involved in a snatch theft case which was reported on April 19. The 28-year-old female victim had reported that her handbag containing cash amounting to S$2,000 was snatched at Chin Swee Road.
The suspect will be charged in court on Saturday for an offence of housebreaking and theft by night.
If found guilty for the offence of housebreaking and theft by night, the suspect could face a jail term of up to 14 years.
If found guilty for the offence of snatch theft, the suspect could be jailed for up to seven years and caned.
Police advised residents not to leave their doors and windows unsecured, even when they are inside their premises. Police also advised commercial premise owners to install CCTVs at their premises to enhance their security and secure their premises with good locks.
- CNA/cc
