A total of seven people have been arrested for their suspected involvement in a spate of thefts of Budget 2020 grocery vouchers from letterboxes.

The thefts occurred between Oct. 11 to Oct. 16, 2020.

The vouchers are worth S$150 each, and were progressively mailed out from Oct. 1.

Four men and three women, aged between 23 and 54, were arrested at various locations around Singapore.

Toa Payoh

A 37-year-old woman was arrested on Oct. 11 for allegedly stealing the vouchers at a residential block along Lorong 7 Toa Payoh .

She was arrested by police from the Tanglin Police Division.

Investigations are ongoing.

Tampines

Two people, a 24-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, were arrested for allegedly stealing the vouchers at a HDB block at Tampines St 86.

They were arrested by police from the Bedok Police Division.

Both will be charged in court on Oct. 16 with two counts of theft with common intention.

The man had allegedly stolen more vouchers previously at the same location, and will be charged with another count of theft.

Marsiling

A 41-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman were arrested on Oct. 14 at a HDB block along Marsiling Rd.

They were arrested by police from the Woodlands Police Division.

Investigations are ongoing.

Telok Blangah

A 54-year-old man was arrested on Oct. 14 at a HDB block along Telok Blangah Rise.

He was arrested by police from the Clementi Police Division.

Another 54-year-old man was arrested on Oct. 15 in a separate, unrelated case for stealing vouchers at a HDB block along Holland Close.

Investigations into both these cases are ongoing.

Police have determined during preliminary investigations that the theft cases are likely unrelated and opportunistic in nature.

If convicted, these people could be imprisoned for up to three years, fined, or both.

Having received similar reports in other residential estates of such cases, the police said they are intensifying their efforts to apprehend the perpetrators.

Those who spot any suspicious person loitering near the letterboxes can call the police at 999.

The police advises those who are eligible for the Budget 2020 Grocery vouchers to collect them from their letterboxes as soon as possible and ensure that their letterbox is secured at all times.

Separate case on Oct. 14

A 37-year-old woman for a similar theft on Oct. 14.

The police first received a report that someone had tampered with the letterboxes along Lorong 7 Toa Payoh three days earlier.

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Top photo from Singpost (for illustration purposes) and Google Maps streetview