Wine thief! Man arrested for entering into homes only to steal wine

SINGAPORE – A 46-year old man was arrested for breaking into three separate homes in private estates between June 14 and July 28, 2020.

The police report that was released on Wednesday (August 5) explained that they received a number of complaints from homes along Chancery Hill Road, Berrima Road, Whitley Road and Tan Sim Boh Road, all reporting that they had been broken into. From each household, the complaints were that wine was stolen from the premises.

Officers from the Tanglin Police Division managed to investigate the events through ground enquiries and follow-up investigations, eventually identifying and arresting the suspect on Tuesday (August 4).

The culprit will appear in court today, August 6, and will be charged with housebreaking and theft under section 451 of the Penal Code. If the suspect is found guilty, he can be jailed up to 10 years and be charged with a fine.

The police have issued warnings to all property owners, advising them to “secure all doors, roller shutters, windows and other openings with good quality grilles and close-shackled padlocks” even if the owners leave their homes unattended for just a short period of time.

They also warned against leaving valuables and large sums of cash within their homes.

For added protection, authorities also suggest homeowners “install a burglar alarm, motion sensor lights and/or close circuit surveillance cameras” to make sure that all access points on the premises are covered and can be seen on camera. /TISG