Police on Friday afternoon, arrested a 44-year-old man believed to be responsible for transmitting numerous false messages to an emergency telephone number in the vicinity of Bukit Merah View.

Between September and up till this January, police received 16 "999" calls from public phones made by an unknown man relating to various law and order matters. Investigations later showed the messages were false.

Officers from Clementi Police Division conducted extensive enquiries, and through follow-up investigations and ground enquiries managed to establish his identity.

The suspect was finally arrested at 2pm on Friday after several stake-out operations and police efforts to trace him.

If convicted of transmitting a false message which he knows to be false or fabricated, an offender can be jailed for up to three years, face a fine not exceeding $10,000, or both.