Man nabbed trying to steal from foreign worker dorm in Geylang

A 43-YEAR-OLD man allegedly snuck into a foreign worker dormitory at Geylang early yesterday morning to steal a wallet but was stopped by two workers.

The incident happened at 5.30am at a dormitory at Lorong 34, Geylang, Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported yesterday.

Li Junjie, a foreign worker from Henan, China, told Wanbao that he was sleeping when he felt movements beside his pillow.

The 30-year-old was shocked to see a shadow of someone standing beside him. "I put my wallet under my pillow. I had $60, my ATM card and so on inside. He'd wanted to steal it but luckily I woke up in time," said Mr Li.

He said the man, in his panic while trying to escape, ran to the toilet where he had no way out.

Mr Li and his room-mate, who called the police, apprehended the man and kept him seated on a chair until the police arrived 15 minutes later.

"He kept resisting and saying, 'Don't hurt me, don't call the police'," said Mr Li.

He added that the man denied everything when the police arrived and was taken away only after more than an hour's questioning.

Mr Li said he was puzzled as to how the thief knew that he kept his wallet under his pillow.

He added that the door to the dormitory - home to more than 10 Chinese workers from the same company - is usually unlocked.

After this incident, he said they would be more cautious.

"We'll definitely lock the door properly after this."

Wanbao rushed to the scene yesterday morning and saw two police cars, with several policemen at the dorm on the second floor.

Police told My Paper yesterday that they had received a call for assistance at about 5.37am.

Wanbao reported that a 43-year-old Singaporean was arrested in relation to a case of theft in a dwelling. Police investigations are ongoing.

myp@sph.com.sg

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