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The police have arrested five persons -- three males and two females -- aged between 15 and 19, for their suspected involvement in relation to a case of theft of motor vehicle.

On Oct. 30, 2021, at about 8:30pm, the police received a report that a motor car was stolen along Jalan Kayu.

The victim, a 22-year-old man who was providing carpooling services, had picked up two men at Compass One shopping centre.

This was despite the suspension of carpooling services in Singapore at the moment due to the current Covid-19 situation.

The two passengers wanted to travel to a HDB block at Jalan Kayu.

Asked for help to buy cigarettes

When the victim reached the destination at about 7:30pm, he acceded to his passengers' request to purchase cigarettes at a nearby shop.

The driver left the car engine running.

He then saw his passengers driving off the car.

An operation involving Ang Mo Kio Division, Police Operations Command Centre and Police Intelligence Department, was immediately mounted to trace both the men and the stolen car.

First 19-year-old man arrested

Subsequently, the identity of the first driver, a 19-year-old man, was established.

Within hours, on Oct. 31, at about 2:15am, plainclothes officers spotted the first driver along with an unknown female passenger in the stolen car in the vicinity of Yishun Street 21.

When engaged by the officers in the open car park, the first driver allegedly collided into the officers unmarked police car and sped off.

While getting away, he purportedly knocked into a parked van.

Officers then lost sight of the car along Yishun Avenue 7.

Licence plate allegedly changed

Further investigations revealed that the vehicle registration plate of the stolen car had allegedly been changed to that of a plate stolen from another vehicle in Marine Parade.

Both plainclothes officers from the unmarked police car were not injured, but the car was damaged during the collision.

First driver spotted again

With the assistance of police cameras, the first driver was spotted again at a HDB block at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 on Oct. 31.

Officers arrested him and his 15-year-old female passenger at about 8am.

A stun device was also recovered from the first driver.

Passed car to other 19-year-old man

It was established that the first driver had allegedly passed the stolen car to another 19-year-old male accomplice, whom he had purportedly stolen the car with.

On Oct. 31, at about 9am, plainclothes officers spotted the second driver along with another unknown male passenger in the stolen car at a car park along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6.

Second driver tried to escape

When officers instructed the second driver to step out of the car with the male passenger, he ignored the instructions and purportedly sped off, causing three officers to fall and sustain slight injuries.

Another unmarked police car with three other plainclothes officers pursued the car.

Car chase ensued

A vehicular pursuit ensued, and the car was eventually intercepted along Lentor Plains.

During his attempts to evade capture, the second driver allegedly collided into the side of the pursuing unmarked police car and two other private cars parked along the road.

Two out of the three plainclothes officers in the unmarked police car suffered slight injuries.

The second driver and his 18-year-old male passenger were swiftly arrested.

A flick knife was also recovered from the car.

16-year-old woman arrested

Through follow-up investigations, a 16-year-old female, who is believed to have assisted the two 19-year-old men to dispose of the stolen car, was later arrested along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9 on Oct. 31 at about 1:50pm.

The two 19-year-old men will be charged in court on Nov. 1 with the offence of theft of motor vehicle with common intention.

If convicted, they can be jailed up to seven years and fined.

One of the suspects will be facing an additional charge of theft of a set of vehicle licence plate.

The offence carries a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

Other charges

The two 19-year-old men are also being investigated for:

- Voluntary causing hurt to deter public servant in the discharge of his duty

- Rash act which endangers the life or personal safety of others

- Dangerous driving

- Driving without a valid licence

- Failing to stop after an accident

- Using a vehicle without insurance

Other three persons investigated

The other three persons arrested are being investigated for their roles in disposing of the stolen car.

Whoever voluntarily assists in concealing or disposing of or making away with property, that is a motor vehicle or any component part of a motor vehicle, which the person knows or has reason to believe to be stolen property or property obtained in whole or in part through any criminal offence involving fraud and dishonesty, shall be punished with a jail term that may extend to five years and a fine, and may be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a period as ordered by the court.

Total damages

Two unmarked police cars, three vehicles belonging to members of the public and one purported stolen car, were damaged in the process.

Five police officers suffered slight injuries.

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