The police have arrested three Malaysian men believed to be responsible for several cases of theft in homes islandwide by posing as repairmen or contractors.

In a statement on Friday, the police said the 'bogus repairmen' would pose as licensed contractors from the Housing Board (HDB) to enter a victims' unit on the pretext of checking or repairing pipes and leaks.

One of the men would distract the victim in the the kitchen or toilet area while the other culprit searched for cash and valuables in the other rooms of the flat. The men, aged 20, 28 and 30, would target elderly persons. In the latest case reported on March 28 involving an 81-year-old woman living at Toa Payoh, the men made with $200.

The men were detained at Woodlands Checkpoint on Thursday at 1.40pm. If convicted, they face a jail term of up to seven years and a fine.