Residents' vigilance help police nab 2 loanshark runners

[chobolan]

Residents' vigilance help police nab 2 loanshark runners

Published on Dec 30, 2011

By Fiona Low

Alert members of the public have helped the police arrest two men suspected of being involved in loansharking activities.

On Wednesday, a resident at Simei Street 4 spotted a suspect leaving the scene of a case of loanshark harrassment.

Keeping a watchful eye on the suspect, the resident took down the registration number of the motorcycle the suspect rode away on.

With this information, the police managed to arrest the suspect the next day.

The 26-year-old arrested is believed to be involved in several other loanshark harassment cases in Tampines and Simei where units were splashed with paint.

In addition, the suspect is believed to have assisted loansharks in verifying harassment acts carried out by other runners.

On Thursday night, another alert resident at Bedok North Street 2 spotted someone scribbling loanshark-related graffiti on a wall.


Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[chobolan]

Two men arrested for suspected loanshark harassment
Posted: 30 December 2011 1853 hrs

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested two men, in separate cases, for suspected involvement in loansharking activities, with the help of public-spirited residents.

In the first case, an alert resident spotted on Wednesday afternoon a suspect fleeing the scene of a loanshark harassment case at a unit in Blk 224 Simei Street 4.

The resident kept an eye on the 26-year-old man and took down the registration number of his motorcycle when he rode off.

The police managed to track down and arrest the suspect at about 5.30pm the next day.

The police believe he was involved in several cases of loanshark harassment in Tampines and Simei where units were splashed with paint.

He is also suspected of helping loansharks verify that acts of harassment committed by other runners were carried out.

In the second case, a public-spirited resident was taking a lift at Blk 113 Bedok North Street 2 on Thursday night when he spotted through the glass panel of the lift a man scribbling loanshark-related graffiti on a wall.

The resident immediately called the police. When the 32-year-old suspect left the crime scene, the resident followed him and provided running updates of his location to the police.

The police arrested the suspect in the vicinity of Block 103 Bedok North Avenue 4.

He had with him loanshark-related items, including two mobile phones believed to contain debtors' records, three plastic bags of paint and two markers.

The police believe he was involved in several cases of loanshark harassment in Bedok, where paint was splashed and loanshark-related graffiti scrawled outside debtors' units.

Both suspects will be charged in court on Saturday.

- CNA/al