A 52-year-old man was arrested on Monday evening for his alleged involvement in a series of thefts at two temples.

At about 9.54am that day, police were alerted to a break-in at a Chinese temple along Depot Road. More than 50 silver chains and 10 gold chains, with an estimated value of $10,000, were reported stolen.

After investigations, officers from the Clementi Police Division managed to identify the suspect. He was arrested at about 7pm in the Jalan Membina vicinity near Bukit Merah. Police also recovered $859 in cash, an assortment of gold chains with pendants, as well as silver chains with pendants from the suspect.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect may have been involved in similar break-ins at another Chinese temple located along Mariam Way in Changi in January this year. If convicted of housebreaking and theft by night, he faces a jail term of up to 14 years.