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Inahime
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Jul 26, 2011
Six loanshark runners in two separate cases
By Tan Herng Yih
THE police arrested five youths aged between 14 and 17 years and a 38-year-old man for suspected involvement in loansharking activities in two separate cases on Monday.
In the first case, the police were patrolling the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 when they spotted two youths behaving suspiciously. Upon checking, a can of paint and a handphone containing messages believed to be relating to loanshark harassment were found in their possession.
The police later arrested three other suspects in the vicinity. They, too, had several cans of paint, as well as a pack of transparent gloves, markers and handphones containing suspected debtors' records.
Preliminary investigations indicated the five youths were involved in a spate of loanshark harassment cases in Yishun, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, Sengkang and Bedok estates.
In a separate case, police officers arrested a 38-year-old man in the vicinity of Bukit Merah central. The suspect is believed to have assisted loanshark syndicates by handing over cash to borrowers to open bank accounts, collecting automated teller machine (ATM) cards from borrowers and verifying potential borrowers' particulars.
The officers seized ATM cards, a bank book, cash amounting to more than $500 and a mobile phone in the suspect's possession.
