Man, 20, arrested for allegedly splashing residential units with paint on National Day

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) have arrested a 20-year-old for his suspected involvement in a series of loanshark harassment cases.

According to the SPF in a press release, they were were to alerted to a series of loanshark harassment cases island-wide between 7pm to 10pm on Aug. 9.

The main gates and doors of several residential units had been splashed with paint and the walls at the staircase landing were scribbled with loanshark-related graffiti.

Arrested within eight hours

The man's identity was established through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras, and he was arrested him within eight hours of the report by officers from the Bedok Police Division and Police Operations Command Centre.

One mobile phone, one paintbrush and five cans of paint were seized as case exhibits.

Preliminary investigations revealed that he is believed to be involved in at least four similar cases of loanshark harassment.

The man will be charged in court on Aug. 11 under the Moneylenders Act 2008.

For first time offenders, the offence of loanshark harassment carries a fine between S$5,000 and S$50,000, with imprisonment of up to five years, and caning of up to six strokes.

Top images via SPF