3 foreigners arrested over housebreaking cases in Bukit Timah area
They are a 60-year-old Spanish-Colombian national, a 51-year-old Mexican national and a 48-year-old Mexican-Colombian national
Singapore police recovered cash and jewellery from three men arrested on May 11, 2025 for their suspected involvement in housebreaking and theft in the Bukit Timah area. (Photo: CNA/Wan Ting Koh)
Koh Wan Ting
11 May 2025 06:00PM (Updated: 11 May 2025 08:09PM)
SINGAPORE: Three men were arrested on Sunday (May 11) for their suspected involvement in three cases of housebreaking and theft at three private residential units in the Bukit Timah area over the past few days.
Singapore police said during a media briefing on Sunday that it was alerted to the cases along Cluny Park, Dunearn Close and Eng Neo Avenue between May 9 and May 10.
The three men are a 51-year-old Mexican national, a 60-year-old Spanish-Colombian national, and a 48-year-old Mexican-Colombian national. The latter two hold dual citizenships.
They will be charged in court on Monday.
The police recovered a car, a circular power saw, an assortment of jewellery and cash of more than S$6,000 (US$4,625), 3,100 euros and US$6,400 from the three.
The trio were arrested within 27 hours of the first case being reported, said the police. Two - the 60-year-old and the 51-year-old - were nabbed along Jalan Kubor in the Lavender area, and the last man along Tyrwhitt Road in Jalan Besar.
Officers from various departments established the identities of the suspects through ground enquiries as well as with the aid of images from CCTVs and police cameras.
Police said they were not ruling out the possibility of other linked cases, but added there was no evidence of a larger syndicate involved. The suspects are believed to have entered Singapore in the last one to two weeks on social visit passes.
Investigations into the case are still ongoing.
The police also expressed its gratitude to two witnesses who had provided the licence plate number of the car used at the time of the suspected offences, assisting in the "swift arrest" of the suspects.
Madam Lily Tan, in her 50s, and her son, Shane Lee, 16 had been living in the Bukit Timah area for about half a year. Each was presented a certificate of appreciation for their help on Sunday.
Speaking to the media at Tanglin Police Division, mother and son said they had been strolling around the neighbourhood on the night of May 9, past 8pm, when they noticed a suspicious car in the secluded area.
"There's not a lot of people, new people driving in. So (the) first time they drove past, we thought, at most they're Grab drivers or guests, but then they never stopped, and then they circled out, and then immediately came back in the second time, which increased our suspicions already," said Shane, who is a student.
Both added that they were familiar with the neighbours' cars in the area.
Mdm Tan said in Mandarin that after the car looped around three times, the pair decided to copy down the car's licence plate number just in case something cropped up.
"In fact, the last time it came around, the driver saw that we had seen him ... so before he left, he stepped on the accelerator and the car made a loud sound," said Mdm Tan, adding that a Grab driver or neighbour would not have acted that way.
It was only the next morning when the pair learned of the housebreaking incident, via a text message from another neighbour.
"They texted, told us to be more careful and like there was this thing happening and then that's why we reported," said Shane.
"Our initial reaction was, that car seems a bit suspicious, and that's when we started to put things together."
"We have a very close neighbouring relationship with the neighbours, so more or less, we will help out each other, I think this is the important part in our daily life," said Mdm Tan, who added that the family was considering ramping up their security measures with the latest incidents.
This marks the latest in a string of landed property burglaries occurring since
the middle of last year.
Between early June and August 2024, 10 cases were reported in private estates around the Rail Corridor and Bukit Timah Road, with stolen items valued at S$3.85 million.
Three suspects were arrested in relation to these cases, with more at large.
More housebreaking cases were reported
in the Holland and Pasir Panjang areas in December last year, with two suspects possibly linked to an earlier syndicate arrested.
In those cases, the perpetrators were known to operate in small groups, entering Singapore on social visit passes and leaving shortly after the crime was committed.
They broke into residences by scaling walls or fences.
The police said that despite the decreasing number of housebreaking cases, Singapore remains targeted by transnational criminals.
A total of 36 housebreaking cases were reported between January and April last year, compared with 28 cases over the same period this year.
The three men arrested on Sunday will be charged with housebreaking and theft with common intention. If convicted, they may be jailed for up to 10 years and possibly fined.
The police advised those who encounter an intruder or any suspicious characters in their neighbourhood to remain calm and prioritise their safety and that of their family members.
They should shout to make loud noises if possible and observe and remember the suspect’s clothing, physical appearance and any distinctive features.
Members of the public should also take note of the suspect’s direction of escape and write down the registration number of the vehicle the suspect uses.
They should contact the police immediately to report the incident as soon as it is safe to do so.