SINGAPORE: International criminal syndicates have been breaking into landed properties in Singapore, with the gang members forcing their way into 10 homes and stealing about S$3.85 million in cash and valuables.
Police said they have arrested three foreigners, recovered $1.36 million of the loot and identified 14 other persons who can assist them in their investigations.
They have also enhanced security measures in private residential estates, including employing the use of cameras and drones to detect people hiding in forested areas.
The news comes amid a spike in burglary cases since June, especially in estates around forested areas and near park connectors.
Between June 1 and Aug 4, police received 10 reports of burglaries at landed properties.
Police said the suspects are believed to be transient travellers who entered Singapore as social visit pass holders, usually for one to two days before committing the crime.
The gangs have largely targeted homes in the vicinity of the Rail Corridor and Bukit Timah Road, but at least one house in Windsor Park Road, in the Bishan area, was also burgled.
They entered the homes by scaling the perimeter walls and fences.
Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam said the three arrested are Chinese nationals.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that these three appear to be linked to foreign syndicates. Police have also identified 14 other persons – all Chinese nationals – who they think will be able to assist in their investigations,” he said.
He added that they are currently out of Singapore but the Singapore Police Force is engaging the Chinese authorities to get more information and locate the 14 men.
Shanmugam said the syndicates appear to be working in small groups and are quite sophisticated.
Speaking on the sidelines of a community event in Chong Pang on Aug 17, he said the syndicates work in teams.
“The modus operandi is quite interesting – at least, in some cases, one group goes in to steal the items – they can include luxury items like luxury bags, watches – and then they conceal them in forested areas nearby.
“Then they, we think, go off. Their accomplices will then later on come and take these items.
“So, quite a sophisticated operation,” said Shanmugam, who added that the police are looking at installing police cameras (PolCams) in private residential areas to both deter crime and help solve cases when they do happen.
There are currently more than 90,000 PolCams installed islandwide, with most of them located in more public areas.
Police said three Chinese nationals have been charged. Long Zhihua, 38, and Luo Changchang, 43, are each facing one charge of housebreaking.
Court documents show that the pair had allegedly burgled a house in Windsor Park Road on June 22, stealing jewellery worth more than $630,000. Long also faces one charge of fraudulent possession of property.
The third individual – Wu Jinxing, 27 – is facing one charge of possessing benefits of crime.
He was arrested on July 27 in the Rail Corridor area near a residential estate in Bukit Sedap Road while allegedly on the way to retrieve stolen loot stashed nearby.
After he was caught, he led the authorities to a hotel room in Geylang, where they found more than $520,000 in cash, luxury watches and bags.
They are believed to have been the items one Wu Jianxing stole from homes he broke into.
Police on Aug 17 also named the 14 Chinese nationals who they said could assist them in their investigations of the housebreaking cases.
They are Wu Jianxin, Huang Ziquan, Chang Yanguo, Wei Yongguo, Long Zhaohai, Luo Anding, Mo Zhengguo, Ling Yingjie, Chen Fuan, Long Yongjiu, Long Chaochang, Wei Mingzhen, Huang Huitang and Liu Laixiang.
Enhanced measures
The overall number of housebreaking-related cases has actually been on the decline. Police said there were 59 reported cases in the first half of 2024 compared with 70 in the same period in 2023.
But police noticed a sudden spike from June 2024, said Assistant Commissioner of Police (AC) Serene Chiu.
The commander of the Clementi Police Division added: “The police have engaged residents, increased patrols, deployed mobile cameras and drones in the affected areas.
“We urge residents to remain vigilant and enhance their home security by installing burglar alarms and CCTV cameras.”
Residents have also set up message groups to update one another. They claimed in the messages that there were incidents in Jelita, Mount Sinai, Moonbeam and Greenleaf estates.
Police declined to confirm the specific locations of the break-ins, but organised a media visit to the Mount Sinai and Greenleaf estates on Aug 15.
Residents of burglary-hit estates in the Holland Road area told The Straits Times in an earlier interview that they thought the area was safe, with some admitting to not locking their doors and gates.
But they have since been taking extra precautions.
Wai Chee Leong, a lawyer who has lived in the Mount Sinai estate for more than 30 years, said he found out about the break-ins only about three weeks ago while chatting with neighbours.
“We were quite surprised to hear of the spate of break-ins because all this time, the neighbourhood has been very safe. Since then, many of us have been upping our security measures with CCTVs and motion sensor lights,” said Wai, 67.
He added that he has been urging neighbours to keep some of the lights on their property on throughout the night.
Several residents are also volunteers with the police’s Citizens On Patrol scheme, which sees at least four members of a neighbourhood moving around their estate to prevent and detect crime.
Daniel Lin, who is in his 40s and works in the logistics industry, said he has been going around the Mount Sinai estate to engage his neighbours as a Citizens On Patrol volunteer.
He said while the spate of break-ins has worried the community, it has brought them closer together.
“The recent break-ins created a bit of alarm in the community, so we decided to step up our patrols together with the Singapore Police Force,” he said.
“Residents have given feedback that they are very concerned about the recent spate of break-ins, especially those with elderly (people) at home, those who have gone for holidays with no one at home, and those with young children.”
He added that because of the incidents, residents have also rushed to install CCTV systems.
Home security vendors told ST that there has been a sharp decline in the number of home owners installing alarm systems in recent years, with many opting for CCTV systems instead.
Tan Yi Chong, a sales manager at Surveillance Zone, said the price of a CCTV setup starts from about $1,800 for four cameras with high-resolution video and audio.
A traditional alarm system however, would cost more than double that, with prices starting from $4,000 for just the first floor of the property, he said.
Derek Peh, a sales manager at I-Secure Solution, said those living in landed houses should opt for alarm systems instead as such properties are more prone to break-ins.
He said: “Many people have the misconception that CCTV alone is sufficient to protect their homes. But alarm systems should be considered over CCTV as they are more proactive in deterring break-ins.” – The Straits Times/ANN
