SINGAPORE - A projectile analysis by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) helped the police track down the person responsible for firing ball bearings - an act that damaged two cars - near a bridal party.

The HSA was roped in after a futile search by the police to track down the shooter.

About two weeks after the incident on July 1, 2017, the police had their man - Samuel Tan Joo Soon.

On Wednesday (Sept 9), the 53-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to three weeks' jail after pleading guilty to one count of committing a rash act.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Chong Kee En related details of the investigation and the events that unfolded that day.

He said members of a bridal party were playing "gatecrashing" games at the void deck of Block 762 Woodlands Avenue 6 when they heard what sounded like shots being fired.

"During the gatecrashing games, the groomsmen and bridesmaids laughed and cheered loudly, which generated substantial noise... At or about 7.15am, some of the bridesmaids heard a few very loud 'bang' sounds while still at the void deck of Block 762, but were unable to determine the source of the noises."

About 15 minutes later, two men from the bridal party noticed that a white Subaru Impreza and a silver Mazda were dented, and there were holes on their rear windscreens. The bridal party's other three cars were not damaged.

Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.

One of them alerted the police and officers later found 12 metal ball bearings at the scene.

Despite searching multiple units within the neighbourhood, the police were unable to locate the shooter.

The HSA then did a projectile analysis, which helped narrow down the area from which the ball bearings were fired.

On July 18, 2017, police searched Tan's fifth-storey unit at the nearby Block 764A and found two packets of metal ball bearings, as well as a wooden catapult with an elastic band.

He had shot the ball bearings from his daughter's bedroom window.

Tan, who is jobless, told police he was not irritated by the bridal party and had not targeted the group, but was shooting at pigeons to scare the birds.

DPP Chong said that Tan bought the wooden catapult in 2008 and used it to shoot stones at birds. He also taught his daughter how to use the catapult to shoot stones at trees.

But he realised catapults were illegal in Singapore when he watched some videos on YouTube.

Despite this, he did not throw it away and instead, went online in 2017 to purchase two packets of ball bearings for $14.

The DPP said: "Over time, the accused's aim using the catapult improved and he would shoot ball bearings using his catapult at pigeons whenever they flew onto his air-conditioner compressor."

Tan said he spotted some pigeons on a ledge at nearby Block 765 on July 1, 2017, and fired the ball bearings at the birds even though he was aware of the bridal party at the ground floor.

One car owner said it cost about $2,500 to repair the Mazda, with the insurance company paying around $2,000 of the bill. Tan has since made restitution of about $500 to him.

The Subaru was scrapped without repairs done to it.

Tan's bail was set at $5,000 on Wednesday and he will surrender himself on Sept 23 to begin serving his sentence.

For committing a rash act, an offender can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $2,500.