On 24 Mar 08 at about 2.45 a.m. , Police arrested a 19-year old man for a series of snatch thefts following an operation at Whampoa HDB estate.

In early March 2008, there were five cases of snatch thefts reported in the HDB estates of Whampoa Drive , Jalan Tenteram, Kim Keat, Toa Payoh and Anchorvale. The culprit targeted female victims and relieved them of jewellery, handbags and handphones that they carried or left unattended.

A Task Force was formed to apprehend the culprit. After a careful study of the cases and through extensive interviews, Police obtained a lead when the suspect was captured on CCTV footage. The Task Force immediately pursued the lead and managed to establish the suspect’s identity. The suspect, who was unemployed, had up till then remained elusive as he had no fixed place of abode. Undaunted, the officers persevered and mounted ambushes at places the culprit was known to frequent.

The persistence of the Task Force officers paid off when they spotted and arrested the suspect at one of his haunts on 24 Mar 08. The suspect subsequently led the officers to a phone shop at Toa Payoh and a second-hand dealer shop at Balestiar Plaza where he had disposed of the loot from his crimes.

The accused will be charged in Court 26 at 9am on 25 Mar 08 for an offence of Snatch Theft. The offence carries a punishment of imprisonment for a term of between one and seven years and shall also be liable to caning.

Superintendent of Police, Paul Lim, Commander of Tanglin Police Division, commended his officers for their perseverance, diligence and excellent teamwork that resulted in the arrest of the accused. He stressed that Police will not hesitate to track down those inclined to commit such offences and deal with them severely. Members of public are advised watch over their valuables and avoid exposing them unnecessarily.