Police have arrested a 53-year-old Chinese man believed to have been involved in more than 50 island-wide cases of cheating numerous elderly women into parting with their jewellery with a total value of more than $50,000. Police advise anyone who may have been cheated in a similar manner to come forward and lodge a Police report.

When committing the offences, the accused would usually approach the elderly victims and claim that he used to be their neighbour. He would then talk the victims into parting with their jewellery and promising them that he would exchange them for higher valued ones upon his return. The victims would only realise that they had been cheated when the accused failed to return.

Officers from the Jurong Police Division tenaciously embarked on several weeks of intensive intelligence probing and investigations which resulted in establishing the identity of the accused. Immediate follow up was done and Police conducted stake-outs to locate the accused and managed to spot him at Woodlands Avenue 6 on 19 April 2008 when he was attempting his dishonest deed. As he was moving away from his intended victim after a failed attempt, the officers moved in and arrested him.

Commander Jurong Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Cheang Keng Keong, commended his officers for their patience and determination that resulted in the swift and successful arrest of the culprit.

The accused will be produced in Court No. 26 of the Subordinate Courts on 21 April 2008 at 9 am for an offence of Cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, which carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE 19 April 2008 @ 5.30pm