Tampines flat splashed with orange paint, man arrested within an hour for loanshark harassment

A 37-year-old man was arrested for loanshark harassment in Tampines.

The police were alerted on April 4 at about 11.20pm to the case at a Tampines Street 91 flat, where the main gate and door were splashed with orange paint and a debtor's note was left behind.

Through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from police cameras and support from Police Operations Command Centre, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him within an hour of the incident.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to be involved in other similar cases of loanshark harassment.

One can of paint, one notebook, three markers and one mobile phone were seized as a case exhibits.

The man was charged in court on April 5 under the Moneylenders Act 2008.

For first-time offenders, the offence of loanshark harassment carries a fine between $5,000 and $50,000, with imprisonment of up to five years, and caning of up to six strokes.