Serial shoe thief arrested

SINGAPORE - A 41-year-old man believed to be responsible for a string of shoe thefts in a public housing estate at Cantonment Road was arrested by the police on Thursday afternoon.

Since June this year, residents of the estate have reported that shoes which were left outside the door were being stolen. The stolen shoes were mostly running shoes of assorted brands, ranging from $80-$150.

The suspect was almost caught in August, when a resident reported a man spotted loitering along the corridor of a flat. While the man was able to flee, he left behind two bags of shoes which were believed to be stolen from the neighbourhood.

He was finally arrested on September 12 along Sungei Road, and officers also seized ten pairs of shoes of assorted styles and brands believed to be stolen by the man.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is believed to have stolen the shoes from public housing estates at Cantonment Road and Ang Mo Kio.

The suspect will be charged in the Subordinate Courts on September 14 for the offence of Theft under Section 379 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, which carries a maximum jail term of three years imprisonment, or with fine or both.

He will be remanded for investigations.

ellenja@sph.com.sg