Police have arrested a 36 year-old Vietnamese loanshark runner with the assistance of 5 public-spirited members of the public.

On 13 September 2010 at about 1.30 pm , a 53 year-old resident was about to leave his home at Canberra Road when he spotted a man scribbling graffiti on the wall along the corridor. Upon seeing the resident, the man fled but was pursued by the said resident as he gave chase and shouted for assistance. Four secondary school students who happened to be in the vicinity heard the resident's cries and joined in the chase. The suspect was subsequently detained a few blocks away by the 5 public-spiritedness members of the public. By this time, officers from the Ang Mo Kio Police Division had arrived and the suspect was placed under arrest. Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had committed acts of harassment by scrawling loanshark-related graffiti in Sembawang estate.

The suspect will be charged on 15 September for loanshark harassment. Under the Moneylenders Act (Revised Edition 2010), first time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment shall be fined not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000 with mandatory imprisonment of up to 5 years and mandatory caning of up to 6 strokes.

Commander of Ang Mo Kio Police Division HQ, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Hsu Sin Yun commended the members of the public for their public-spiritedness and said, "This arrest showcases the importance and effectiveness of Police-community partnership in the fight against crime."