Police have arrested a 48 year-old man who is suspected of committing housebreaking and setting fires to the units after he broke into them.

On 2 Feb 2010 at about 1pm, a report was received that a unit at level 10 of Blk 72 Geylang Bahru was on fire. Both the SCDF and Police were activated to the scene and the fire was subsequently put out. No one was injured by the fire. However, Police investigations revealed that prior to the fire, the HDB unit had been broken into and ransacked; and about $500 in cash had been stolen.

Investigations also revealed that in December 2009, this modus operandi was employed on 2 other units at Blk 23 Bendemeer Road on 2 separate occasions. In these cases, the culprit had entered into the units by forcing open the window panes and grilles of the bedrooms along the common corridors. It is believed that the culprit would deliberately set fire to the units before he escaped.

Through intensive investigation and extensive ground enquiries, Police managed to establish the identity of a suspect and immediately mounted ambush operations to locate him. The suspect was eventually arrested on 5 Feb 2010 at about 12.45am at Blk 69 Geylang Bahru. A search conducted at the suspect’s residence uncovered 4 bottles of thinner and an assortment of tools.

The suspect will be charged in the Subordinate Courts on 6 Feb 10 at 9.00am for an offence of House-Breaking and Theft under Section 454 of the Penal Code. A person convicted of this offence faces a maximum jail term of ten years. The suspect also faces a charge of committing Mischief by Fire under section 436 of the Penal Code which carries punishment of jail term which extends to life imprisonment or ten years.

Commander of Central Police Division HQ, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Lau Peet Meng, commended his officers for their perseverance, diligence and team work which resulted in the arrest of the suspect. He added, "Our officers worked hard to solve this case as the suspect was using dangerous means to cover his tracks. I'm glad we stopped his criminal acts before someone got seriously injured.”