Four men arrested in Bukit Timah said to be linked to housebreaking syndicates
The four Chinese nationals were charged on Aug 10.
Zhuo Yinggui, 36; Yang Chao, 41; Zhou Qifa, 36; and He Jiao, 38, were each handed one charge for possessing housebreaking tools.
According to court documents, they were allegedly found along the Rail Corridor near the Greenleaf estate with two black balaclavas, three screwdrivers bent at the tips, three pairs of gloves, two wrenches and a torchlight.
If convicted, they could be jailed for up to two years and fined.
A police operation near the Rail Corridor and Bukit Timah Road was ongoing when the four men were spotted behaving suspiciously in a park. They fled into a forested area after being approached by the police.
The police said on Aug 10 they were conducting an operation against housebreaking as housebreakers would typically exploit the forested areas along the Rail Corridor to conceal their movements as they attempt to break into homes.
Within two hours, two of the men were arrested in the forested area.
The third man was arrested at a mall near Clementi the same night, while the fourth was arrested the next morning at a hotel in Geylang.
They were found to have housebreaking tools such as screwdrivers, spanners, clothing and cash that totalled more than $400.
Police officers were stationed in the vicinity of Greenleaf Place on the night of Aug 8. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
The four men, who are from the Guizhou province in China, entered Singapore by Woodlands Checkpoint on social visit passes on Aug 8. For three of the men, it was their first time entering Singapore.
The police said the men could be linked to other housebreaking-related cases reported in Singapore between April and July.
During that period, there were three reported cases of housebreaking near the Rail Corridor, and one attempted housebreaking incident. In two of the housebreaking incidents, about $60,000 worth of luxury watches and jewellery were stolen.
Investigations are looking to determine if the men are linked to previous cases of housebreaking involving international criminal syndicates.
The four have been remanded for further investigations. Bail has not been offered.
Their cases are expected to be heard again on Aug 15.
Police have stepped up measures to prevent housebreaking and theft in private residential estates since June 2024, such as placing more police cameras and having frequent patrols.
The commander of Clementi division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Serene Chiu, at a press conference about break-ins, at Clementi Police Division headquarters on Aug 10. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The police urged residents to adopt crime prevention measures such as installing CCTVs and burglar alarm systems.
The commander of Clementi division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Serene Chiu, said: "Through effective coordination and sense-making by the police, the four men were arrested in less than 24 hours from the time they entered Singapore, and before they could commit housebreaking."
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