"Loansharking harassers" nabbed
Posted: 09 September 2011 2206 hrs
SINGAPORE: Police have arrested two women and one man -- all aged 45 -- as well as three youths aged between 14 and16, for suspected involvement in loansharking activities in separate cases.
One of the cases took place on Thursday at about 4pm.
Police arrested a 15-year-old youth in the vicinity of Yishun Street 81.
The suspect's residence was raided and loanshark-related paraphernalia such as cans of paint and a mobile phone containing suspected debtors' records were seized.
Officers then arrested the suspect's two suspected accomplices, a 14-year-old and 16-year-old.
The suspects are believed to have committed several cases of loanshark harassment by splashing paint and scrawling loanshark-related graffiti on the walls of HDB flats in the Yishun and Hougang estates.
Separately, police nabbed the 45-year-old man following reports of loanshark harassments with mail containing 'hell notes', received by residents at the Jalan Bukit Merah, Telok Blangah, Bukit Purmei, Whampoa Drive and Race Course Lane housing estates, since June this year.
The suspect was arrested on Thursday at about 12.10pm at his home in Kang Ching Road.
Found in his possession were loansharking-related paraphernalia such as harassment letters, 'hell notes', flyers, postage stamps and envelopes.
The suspect will be charged on Saturday in court tomorrow.
If convicted, he could be jailed up to five years, fined up to $50,000 and given up to 6 strokes of the cane.
Meanwhile, at about 10.10 Friday morning, police nabbed a 45-year-old woman in the vicinity of Lorong Telok, in an ambush.
This arrest follows a previous arrest of two China nationals for loanshark harassment in the vicinity of Serangoon North Avenue 1 on 7 September.
The woman was believed to have helped check borrowers' identity cards to verify their particulars and conduct fund transfers.
She had allegedly sent incense papers to borrowers demanding for repayments, and provided transportation to loanshark runners to commit harassment acts.
On the same day at about 4.25pm, officers arrested her suspected accomplice, a 45-year-old woman, in the vicinity of Circular Road.
Police seized loanshark-related paraphernalia including ATM cards, bank transaction receipts, prepaid SIM cards, and envelopes containing incense paper.
-CNA/wk
