Man arrested for housebreaking case in Jurong West

SINGAPORE - Police have arrested a 43-year-old man for his alleged involvement in a housebreaking case that occurred in Jurong West.

At about 2pm on June 11, Public Transport Security Command officers conducted a check on the suspect who was seen behaving suspiciously at Boon Lay MRT station.

The suspect was apprehended after he was found to be in possession of jewellery, handphones, watches and coins that were believed to have been stolen.

The following day, Jurong Police Division officers were alerted at about 1pm to a housebreaking case at a public housing unit in Jurong West.

The owners had returned from their vacation only to discover that their unit had been broken into and their valuables were stolen.

Through follow up investigations, police concluded that the suspect was the same man who had been caught at Boon Lay MRT station with the stolen goods on him.

The suspect will be charged for the offence of housebreaking and theft by day under Section 454 of the Penal Code. He may face a prison term of up to 10 years and be fined, if found guilty.

House owners are advised by the police to adopt the following crime prevention measures against break-ins:

a) Ensure that all doors, windows and other openings are properly secured with good quality grills and close-shackled padlocks

b) Keep large sums of cash in banks and expensive jewellery in a safe deposit box

c) Secure all doors and windows before retiring to bed or when leaving your house unattended, even for a short while and

d) Install a burglar alarm, to cover the access points into your premises. Ensure that they are tested periodically and in good working condition.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg