Man, 19, arrested for loanshark harassment within 4 hours after flat gets defaced with red paint, graffiti
A 19-year-old man was arrested for his suspected involvement in a series of loanshark harassment cases.
The police said they were alerted to a loanshark harassment case at a residential unit on Jan 26 at about 4.50pm.
The unit's main gate and door of the unit had been splashed with red paint, and loanshark-related graffiti was found on the wall.
Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras, officers from Bedok Police Division and Police Operations Command Centre established the man's identity and arrested him within four hours of the report.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to be involved in at least four similar cases of loanshark harassment islandwide.
The man will be charged in court on Jan 28 under the Moneylenders Act 2008.
For first-time offenders, the offence of loanshark harassment carries a fine between $5,000 and $50,000, with up to five years in jail and up to six strokes of the cane.
The police said they have zero tolerance for loanshark harassment activities. Those who deliberately vandalise properties or cause annoyance and disruption to public safety and security will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.
Members of the public are advised to stay away from loansharks and not work with or assist them in any way. Call the police at '999' if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in loansharking activities.
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