Man caught on camera crawling outside Yishun HDB corridor charged with theft
The suspect was caught on CCTV attempting to steal a pair of slippers.
A man caught on camera crawling outside a Yishun flat and taking a pair of sandals before returning them, has been charged with theft.
On Aug 30, Lin Jin Wei (transliterated), 48, was charged in court with theft under Section 379 of the Penal Code.
Lim is accused of stealing a black jacket from Block 798 Yishun Ring Road on Aug 15, according to the charge sheet.
If found guilty, he faces a sentence of up to three years in prison, a fine, or both.
In response to queries from Shin Min Daily News, the police confirmed that several reports of theft in the Yishun Ring Road area, including stolen jackets and clothes from drying racks, were lodged from Aug 15-25.
Following investigations and a review of CCTV footage, officers from Woodlands Police Division identified and arrested Lim on Aug 28. A missing jacket was also recovered.
Man goes viral on Stomp
According to Stomper Ziq, the incident took place at 5am on Aug 25, at Block 789 along Yishun Ring Road.
The footage shows a barefoot man in a gray shirt and black shorts crawling along the corridor. He then gets up and peeks into a unit through a window before making his way back down the corridor.
As he passes the unit's front door, he bends down to grab a pair of slippers. However, after noticing a newly installed security camera, he turns to return the slippers before hurrying away.
Ziq told Stomp that the incident was not an isolated one, recounting that the man had previously stolen his family's clothes before the camera was installed.
The family also made a police report after the theft.
The video of the man's actions went viral, sparking concern and amusement among residents.
More victims emerge
Other residents also reported similar incidents.
On Aug 15, a woman reported that her jacket was stolen by a man from the common corridor of her flat.
A day later, another resident said his shirt and pants had gone missing from his laundry rack.
In the following week, several reports of a suspicious person loitering in the common corridor of several blocks in the area also surfaced.
Reporters from Shin Min who visited the scene found three units in Block 798 that had been victims of theft, with residents on the fourth and seventh floors reporting missing clothes.
Another resident reported that his slippers had been stolen from his doorstep.
The HDB block is located directly above the Khatib Neighbourhood Police Post, and multiple security cameras are visible on the ground floor.
A 65-year-old resident, Mr Tan, noted that with the added surveillance, it would be difficult for criminals to escape. "Even if you don't take the lift and use the stairs, you'll still be caught on camera," he said.
Some residents unfazed
Yet, some residents felt it was a one-off situation.
When approached by Shin Min, a number of residents in the area said they felt safe and were not overly concerned by the incident.
A 50-year-old housewife, Mrs Lee, who has lived there for about 30 years, said she had never heard of theft in the area.
"Neighbours all know each other here. I believe this is an isolated case, and I won't be installing a camera," she said.