13-year-old arrested for allegedly stealing $1,000 in cash from Tampines HDB flat

SINGAPORE - A 13-year-old teenager was arrested for allegedly stealing cash amounting to $1,000 from a Tampines Housing Board (HDB) flat on July 11.

The police said in a statement on Friday that they received a report at about 6.30am that cash was missing from a unit in Tampines Street 24.

Officers from the Bedok Police Division were able to identify the teenager through follow-up investigations and the use of images from police cameras.

He was arrested for his suspected involvement in a case of theft in dwelling.

The Straits Times understands that he allegedly stole the money through the windows of a bedroom along the HDB corridor.

Preliminary investigations show he is believed to be involved in another similar case, police said, adding that they are investigating the cases.

In its statement, the police also said that home owners should take crime prevention measures.

They should secure all doors, roller shutters, windows and other openings with good quality grilles and close-shackled padlocks when leaving their premises unattended, even for a short while.

They should also refrain from keeping large sums of cash in unattended premises, and install a burglar alarm and closed-circuit television cameras to cover access points.

Anyone convicted of theft in dwelling could be jailed up to seven years, fined or both.

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