SINGAPORE - An alleged underwear thief was nabbed on Sunday (Dec 27) by a member of public, police said.

The 55-year-old man is suspected of attempting to break into a Housing Board flat at Woodlands Drive 73.

Police received a call at about 3.40pm on Sunday informing them that a man had tried to steal underwear from an HDB flat. He was detained by the resident.

Preliminary checks found that the suspect possessed several pieces of underwear.

The man was placed under arrest and the undergarments were seized.

The suspect will be charged on Tuesday (Dec 29). If found guilty of attempted housebreaking and theft by day, he can be sentenced to a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.

Police advised residents to adopt the following crime prevention measures against break-ins:

* Ensure that all doors, windows and other openings are properly secured with good quality grills and close-shackled padlocks;

* Keep large sums of cash in banks and expensive jewellery in a safe deposit box;

* Secure all doors and windows before retiring to bed or when leaving the house unattended, even for a short while;

* Install a burglar alarm, to cover the access points into your premises. Ensure that they are tested periodically and in good working condition.