A 36-year-old man was arrested for his suspected involvement in two separate cases of housebreaking and theft, less than one hour after a police report was made against him.

In a press statement, the police said they were alerted to a case of housebreaking and theft at a factory on Tampines North Drive 4 at around 9am on May 21.

At about 5:45pm that same day, the police received another report on a case of housebreaking and theft.

According to the report, the man had broken into a school along Tampines Avenue 1 and stolen two shirts and one bag valued at S$70.

Arrested within one hour

Police officers from Bedok Police Division made ground enquiries and viewed CCTV footage to establish the identity of the culprit.

He was arrested within one hour of the second report.

Preliminary investigations suggest that both cases are linked to the same suspect, said the police.

On May 23, the man was charged with the offence of housebreaking in order to commit theft.

If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

Crime prevention measures

The police suggested some crime prevention measures to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime.

The public is advised to secure all doors, roller shutters, windows and other openings with good quality grilles and padlocks when leaving their premises unattended, even for a short while.

They should also avoid keeping large sums of cash and valuables in their premises.

Lastly, they should consider installing a burglar alarm, motion sensor lights, or CCTV cameras, and place them to cover all access points into their premises.

Such devices should also be tested periodically to ensure they are in good working condition.

Top collage via Pixabay and Singapore Police Force/Instagram