[top: A police investigator dusting for fingerprints from one of the cars which had been broken into. Seven cars parked on the first floor of Block 23A, a multi-storey carpark in Telok Blangah Crescent, were hit.]
Owners woke up to find cars smashed
By Jermyn Chow
SEVERAL car owners in Telok Blangah Crescent woke up on Sunday morning to find the rear windscreens and side windows of their vehicles smashed, and CashCards and other valuables missing.
The thefts happened early yesterday morning at Block 23A, a multi-storey carpark in Telok Blangah Crescent.
Seven cars parked on the first floor were hit. They included makes like Toyota, Honda and Kia.
The rampage is believed to have taken place overnight.
A police spokesman said they are investigating the cases.
Six CashCards worth more than $200, coins and accessories such as cellphone chargers were missing.
It is not known if the thefts were committed by the same person.
One of the victims, retiree Tan Teck Wah, 55, had parked his Kia Picanto in the multi-storey carpark at about 8pm on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, at around 10, he went to the carpark with a friend, and was alerted to the thefts by other motorists.
Shocked, he found that he was one of the victims. His car's rear windscreen and left window had been smashed.
'I was shocked to see that the doors were still locked and the alarm not activated,' he said.
Inside the three-year-old vehicle, a CashCard, Mr Tan's Nokia phone charger and an earpiece were gone.
Another victim, futures trader Tommy Ng, 57, found the rear windscreen of his black Honda Civic smashed at around the same time.
Missing was his CashCard, worth about $10, coins and a penknife. The damage to the car will cost him more than $1,000.
Mr Ng said he was disgusted by the smash and grab.
'I always thought that this place was safe. How are we supposed to have peace of mind leaving our cars here now?' he said.
His wife, Madam Wong Siew Ling, 55, said security at the carpark had been an issue for residents since it was built five years ago.
'We started hearing residents complaining that their cars were scratched and their CashCards stolen.'
The housewife said that five to six cars were hit three years ago at another multi-storey carpark in Telok Blangah.
'It can be quite scary for a quiet neighbourhood like ours to be hit by car thieves who are so vicious,' she said.
When contacted, Mr Sam Tan, an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, expressed outrage at the thefts and said he would talk to the police about stepping up their surveillance.
He said he would also approach the Housing Board to look into the feasibility of installing CCTV cameras in the carparks.
Mr Tan said he would also strengthen the community patrol scheme, using resident volunteers to increase vigilance in the neighbourhood.
But for now, motorists said they would have to rely on their own resources and common sense.
'I will definitely be buying more insurance for my car and be careful not to leave any valuables in the vehicle,' said 53-year-old insurance agent Jimmy Goh.
