More people falling prey to bogus electricians

[Ma Chao]

More people falling prey to bogus electricians
By Ng Lian Cheong | Posted: 27 October 2010 2114 hrs
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SINGAPORE : There have been more people falling prey to cheats pretending to be electricians.

There were 18 cases between January and June, compared to 14 for the whole of last year.

On Tuesday, two households in Bendemeer Road fell prey to the trick within hours of each other.

For 10 minutes that afternoon, Mr Chia Chwee Hock held a bamboo pole to his storeroom light. In the bathroom, his wife did the same, as they had been told to do so by the bogus electrician.

In the meantime, the cheat said he would check on the power supply.

When the couple went to check on the man, he had vanished, and so had S$13,000 in cash and valuables.

They later learnt that he had also cheated their neighbour of 400 Malaysian ringgit and S$167 with the same trick.

Police said most of the victims were the elderly. They later realised the cheat had turned off their power supply from outside.

Mr Chia has since learnt his lesson. The electrical box outside his flat is now under lock and key.

- CNA/al