4 youths arrested for loanshark harassment
AsiaOne
Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013
SINGAPORE - Police arrested 4 youths, three aged 15 and one aged 16, for suspected involvement in a series of island-wide loanshark harassment.
Between Feb 2 to 5, Police received several reports of loanshark harassment involving fire and locking of debtors' and innocent residents' gates.
On Feb 6, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the four youths at Toa Payoh, Tiong Bahru and Kallang Bahru.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the youths are responsible for four cases of harassment involving locking of debtors' and innocent parties' gates, and one case of loanshark harassment involving fire in the vicinity of a HDB unit in Bukit Merah View.
All four suspects will be charged for loanshark harassment. Under the Moneylenders Act, first-time offenders found guilty of committing loanshark harassment shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000, and shall be liable to be punished with not less than 3 strokes of the cane.
Members of public, especially youths, are advised to not work or assist the loansharks in any way. The public can call the Police at '999' or the X-Ah Long hotline at 1800 924 5664 if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in loanshark activities.
