Robbers pose as NEA officers

[Gan Ning]

Nov 12, 2010

Robbers pose as NEA officers

By Lee Jia Xin

POLICE have arrested three suspects who were believed to have robbed homes by posing as National Environment Agency (NEA) officers. The trio, aged between 33 and 48 years, who were nabbed in a 30-hour operation, are being investigated for a house robbery at Circuit Road on Wednesday following a 30-hour operation.

One was arrested at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Wednesday while the other two were nabbed on Thursday. They are also believed to be involved in two other cases of armed robberies reported at Teck Whye Crescent and Pavilion Rise in August and September.

In the Circuit Road robbery on Wednesday, the suspects were believed to have gained access into the home by identifying themselves as NEA officers checking for mosquitoes breeding.

They herded the occupants - three children aged between nine and 13 years - into a bedroom and tied them up. Jewellery and cash amounting to about $4,000 were taken from the flat. The children were unhurt. The trio will be charged in court later on Friday.

 

[Gan Ning]

3 'NEA' posers face robbery charge


Nov 12, 2010

3 'NEA' posers face robbery charge

By Khushwant Singh

THEY allegedly posed as National Environment Agency (NEA) officers on rounds to check on mosquito breeding in homes. Once inside, they would tie up the occupants and flee with cash and valuables. Ong Bee Han, 33, and Low Soon Kwee, 38, were charged on Friday with robbing a house in Circuit Road on Nov 10 at 4pm with four others.

Tay Chuan Bock, 48, was charged with armed robbery for his role in robbing a house in Pavilion Rise in the Bukit Batok area together with Ong and Low. The three men will be remanded till next Friday for further investigations. According to the charges, the loot amounted to more than $118,000 in cash and valuables in the Bukit Batok robbery.

The three children in the Circuit Road home were tied up in the bedroom by the gang, who then ransacked the flat and escaped with about $4,200 in cash and cell phones. In a statement on Friday, police said that Ong was arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint at 11.30pm on Nov 10. His two alleged accomplices were taken into custody at separate locations the next morning.

Police said investigations are ongoing to catch the remaining suspects.
If residents have doubts about the identity of any NEA officer, they are advised to call the 24-hour hotline at 1800-CALL-NEA (1800-225 5632).