Choa Chu Kang residents retaliate after man throws water bags, scatters litter around neighbourhood

Fed up with a man's antics of throwing water bags and scattering litter all over the estate, some residents in Choa Chu Kang decided to take matters into their own hands. 

On Sunday (Sept 19), Shin Min Daily News received an anonymous tip-off about a man and his unneighbourly behaviour at Keat Hong Mirage. 

A resident told the Chinese daily she noticed that the man would begin rummaging through the estate's rubbish bins at around 10pm every night.

He would then ride his bicycle in the wee hours of the morning, scattering litter around the neighbourhood. 

"The rubbish that he collects include bottles, cans and cartons... sometimes he throws durian shells, furniture spare parts and glass bottles," she said. 

Another resident said that the man would also splash water from his window, and hang water bags on trees in the estate. 

"We have notified the authorities and the police many times, but the situation has not improved," he told Shin Min Daily News. 

The cleaning supervisor of the area told Shin Min that the man has been behaving this way for about two to three years. 

"He also throws items such as egg trays and plastic bags down the block. We've been collecting two large bags of garbage every morning." 

The man's wife told reporters that some residents have retaliated against her husband's actions. 

"When we first moved in, some neighbours broke our wooden door, splashed water at our flat, and even used a bicycle chain to lock our front gate. When my husband parked his bicycle downstairs, it was either damaged or locked." 

She also said that someone had glued the keyholes of their door and gate a few weeks ago. Till now, they are not able to lock their door. 

The woman also told reporters that her husband has been suffering from mental illness for over a decade, and he has been in and out of the Institute of Mental Health three times.

He has not worked in more than 20 years, leaving her to support the family, and raise their three children.

"My husband used to take medicine for his condition. But since he contracted pneumonia and high fever in 2019, he's stopped taking his medication and goes for counselling, but it's not really working." 

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claudiatan@asiaone.com