S'pore teen, 17, who trespassed onto MRT tracks, had also climbed into elderly woman's bedroom in just his underwear

A Singapore court ordered a 17-year-old to undergo 18 months' probation on Jan. 6 for trespassing onto MRT tracks along Upper Changi Road between Simei and Tanah Merah stations.

He would be subject to a curfew between 10pm and 6am and would need to complete 80 hours of community service, reported Lianhe Zaobao.

The boy's parents were also required to place a S$5,000 bond to ensure his good behaviour during his probation.

What happened

According to court documents seen by Zaobao, the boy discovered a row of scaffolding leading to the MRT tracks that had yet to be dismantled along Upper Changi Road in January 2025.

This discovery prompted him to formulate a plan to enter the MRT tracks illegally.

Two months later, on Mar. 27, 2025, the boy decided to put his plan into action at around 8pm.

He first waited near the scaffolding until the construction workers left before taking off his top and using it to cover his face.

He then crawled through a gap between the construction site entrance and the ground before going up a staircase.

Filmed trains

At around 8:18pm, the boy reached the MRT tracks between Simei and Tanah Merah stations, reported Zaobao.

He then stepped onto the third track and began walking along it.

Whenever an MRT train approached, he would lie down on the side of the track and film the train as it passed.

After the train left, the boy went to take pictures and videos on the other side of the track before leaving the scene.

During court proceedings, he admitted to remaining on the tracks for around five to 10 minutes, during which four to six trains had driven past him.

Posted videos on Instagram

Later, the boy posted the MRT train videos on Instagram, allowing only those on his "close friends" list to see them, reported Zaobao.

On Jun. 9, he uploaded the same footage to his second Instagram account.

When he learned the video had begun circulating widely, he deleted the second account to avoid revealing his identity.

Climbed into elderly woman's bedroom at night

Besides trespassing onto the MRT tracks, the boy was also accused of climbing onto the rooftop of his public housing block dressed only in his underwear at around 11pm on May 16, 2025.

When the police arrived, the boy climbed into an 86-year-old woman's bedroom downstairs by entering through the window.

He hid underneath her bed until he surrendered himself to the police around 30 minutes later.

Pleaded guilty

In November 2025, the boy pleaded guilty to one count of trespassing and another count of violating the Rapid Transit Systems Act, reported Zaobao.

According to CNA, the defence lawyer said in mitigation that the boy's actions were "due to a lapse in judgment".

He further explained that the boy suffered from developmental delay in early childhood, had a short attention span, and "slightly autistic traits" during his formative years.

The lawyer also said that the boy had learnt his lesson, and has turned to activities like rock-climbing, hiking and volunteering as a dog trainer to "productively explore his adventurous interests"

According to Zaobao, during court proceedings, the judge presiding over his case pointed out that his crime was "very serious".

However, as the boy was still young, the judge decided to give him a second chance, adding that his parents should help him rectify his behaviour.

Top images via singapura.legends/Instagram