Another train vandalised at SMRT Bishan depot

A spokesman for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) added: "SMRT discovered the graffiti on the exterior of a train at Bishan depot on the morning of May 5 and reported the incident to the police and the LTA. LTA takes a serious view of the incident and is currently working with the police and SMRT on the investigations."

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SINGAPORE - Local public transport operator SMRT has lodged a police report on a case of vandalism at its Bishan depot on Monday morning.

In a written statement, the police said that a train was vandalised at Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 on May 5, 2014 at 6.17am. 

Police investigations are on-going.

This is the second instance of vandalism at SMRT's Bishan depot.

The first case took place in August 2011, where graffiti was discovered on a northbound train.

In another incident of a MRT train being vandalised, Swiss national Oliver Fricker and his British friend Dane Alexander Lloyd broke into SMRT’s Changi depot and vandalised a train in May 2010. 

minlee@sph.com.sg

Next >> Past cases of vandalism in Singapore

Past cases of vandalism in Singapore:

April 25, 2014

Four boys aged nine and 10 were arrested on suspicion of vandalism after profanities and a slogan linked to loan sharks were found spray-painted on property and cars.

The Straits Times understands that the boys are from the same nearby school, with three of them in Primary Four and one in Primary Five.

December 11, 2013

Five men were accused of spray-painting slogans referring, among other things, to global "hacktivist" group Anonymous. Four of the men are said to have sprayed "we are one we are legion expect us" and "TSK" on the pavement outside Sunshine Plaza in Prinsep Link at about 4am on Nov 5.

Minutes later, the four allegedly sprayed a similar slogan on a nearby pillar. At both places, they also allegedly sprayed the stylised letters "TSK", believed to be a band logo.

They then allegedly did the same thing on the pavement at a taxi stand along Waterloo Street at 4.20am.

April 23, 2013

A 33-year-old security guard spray-painted "democracy" and a big "X" in red on the Cenotaph War Monument.

He sprayed an "X" over the dates "1914-1918" on the monument's wall, then the word "democracy" on top.

A couple who saw what he did confronted him. He told them it was art and a revolution. Khalid was arrested four days later.

It cost $208 to clean up the monument, which was built in 1920 to commemorate the 124 soldiers from Singapore who were lost in World War I.

Mohamad Khalid Mohamad Yusop, 33, was sentenced to three months' jail and three strokes of the cane, and ordered to pay $208 to the State for the cost of repair.

May 17, 2012

"Sticker lady" Samantha Lo had pasted stickers spouting cheeky captions on traffic lights and spray-painted various roads with Singlish phrases like "My Grandfather Road" in 2012.

She was later spared the more serious charge of vandalism and was accused of mischief instead.

For that, she was given 240 hours of community service, and had to report for supervision and counselling.

When this case first surfaced last year, it ignited fierce public debate about the line dividing art and vandalism.

Mr Shanmugam had said the Government will relook its stance on vandalism if most of society wanted more freedom for artistic expression.

Next >> Michael Fay

May 16, 2010

Oliver Fricker, 32, a business consultant, was charged with cutting the fence of the depot and damaging public property.

He was also charged with vandalism by spraying paint on two carriages of an SMRT train, and trespass for entering the Changi depot without permission some time between the late night of May 16 and the early hours of May 17.

Also named on the charge sheet was British citizen Lloyd Dane Alexander. It is not known if he is still in Singapore, and the police are still investigating.

The duo is believed to have cut through the fence of the depot along Xilin Avenue, although it was topped with barbed wire.

Once inside the depot, they spray-painted graffiti on one side of a train. The graffiti had the words "McKoy Banos", which is believed to be the signature of two persons who have vandalised trains in other countries too.

The train went into service for some time, in full view of commuters. The incident was reported to the police on May 19.

Fricker was arrested about a week later.

Fricker was later given seven months in jail and three strokes of the cane for trespass and spray-painting two MRT train carriages in a protected depot. The Fricker case involved around $11,000 in damage.

6 May 1994

Michael Fay made headlines across the world because he was the first American to be caned in Singapore.

A Singapore judge sentenced Fay to four months in jail, a $3,500 fine and six strokes of the cane after he and a group of school friends vandalised 18 cars with spray-paint.

In addition, Fay was found guilty of mischief - throwing eggs at several cars and switching some of their licence plates as a prank - and possessing several stolen items. These include signs saying No Smoking and No Exit, which had been stolen by the son of a Swedish diplomat.

The sentence of six strokes was later reduced to four as a gesture of respect for US president Bill Clinton, whose request for Fay to be spared the cane was turned down.

The United States responded by summoning then-Ambassador S.R. Nathan to the State Department to protest.

Fay came to Singapore in 1982 to live with his mother and stepfather, an executive with the American courier company Federal Express.

He attended the Singapore American School, a private institution attended mostly by expatriate children, who each pay about US$10,000 a year in fees.

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