Bukit Merah couple arrested after two-hour stand-off with police
Two people who were allegedly drunk were arrested after a two-hour stand-off with the police on New Year's Day.
The unmarried couple, who are in their 50s, had locked themselves in the flat on the ninth storey of Block 3 Jalan Bukit Merah from about 6.30pm.
Neighbours told Shin Min Daily News they had lived in the flat for about a decade and would often get into arguments while drunk.
The Chinese-language daily reported that the 55-year-old man had been shouting at the 52-year-old woman to jump from the flat together.
Neighbours added that the man was unemployed while the woman worked as a cleaner.
A Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman told The New Paper it was alerted to the incident at about 9pm and had set up a life air pack at the base of the block as a precautionary measure.
The stand-off ended after personnel from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team rappelled from the building to the flat's window with safety nets.
A police spokesman said the man was arrested for using criminal force to deter public servants from discharging their duties, while the woman was arrested for suspected drug consumption.
Police investigations are ongoing.
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