'If you litter, I will catch you': Tampines retiree, 68, uses camera with zoom lens to spot litterbugs & those parking illegally, reports them to NEA

A man in Tampines has taken up a new hobby after retiring: photographing people he sees littering or parking illegally below his Housing and Development Board (HDB) block and submitting the evidence to the authorities.

Spends whole day looking out of his window

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, 68-year-old Tan Qiangsheng (transliterated) said he began documenting such offences after frequently noticing illegal parking and littering in the area.

"I would spend the whole day looking out of my window at home to observe," he said. "Whenever I see something illegal happening, I would take a picture with my camera and submit it to the authorities."

Besides taking photographs and videos, Tan also keeps written records of his observations.

Once a month, he travels for over an hour to the National Environment Agency (NEA) to submit the evidence he has collected.

According to Tan, he initially reported between 40 and 50 littering cases each month.

As the situation improved, that number fell to about 20 to 30 cases monthly.

Residents' reactions

Some residents have since received fines based on the evidence Tan submitted.

One private-hire driver, surnamed Lin, told Shin Min that many residents were unhappy with Tan's actions.

He added that he was issued four fines so far and paid about S$1,000 in total.

"I later learned from a cleaner that Tan was the one who took the pictures and reported me to the authorities," he said.

Lin added that he was once fined S$70 for parking outside a designated parking space, but successfully appealed.

"If I'm parking in a parallel parking lot, I'll move the car forward a little so that drivers behind can get out easily," he said.

When asked if anyone had thanked him for his efforts to keep the neighbourhood clean and report offences, Tan said no.

"Even so, I will continue to do it. As long as I see it, I will report it," he said. "Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility. If you litter, I will catch you."

Spent over S$1,000 on a better camera

According to Shin Min, Tan uses a Nikon long-zoom digital camera to document offences from his flat.

The camera's high-magnification optical zoom allows him to capture clear images of the car park below from his home.

"I used to use a small digital camera, but the pictures weren't clear," he said. "Three or four years ago, I spent more than S$1,000 to upgrade to this current camera."

Tan's wife shared that her husband used to work as a cleaner, and that she fully supports her husband's efforts.

When asked if she was concerned about possible retaliation, she said she was not.

"I believe we are doing the right thing," she said.

Tan added that he has installed two CCTV cameras outside his flat and would call the police if anyone came to harass him.

Confrontation with neighbours

However, his actions have also led to confrontations with neighbours.

Lin told Shin Min he argued with Tan about three weeks ago after encountering him in a lift.

"I saw him in the lift that day and I felt very angry," he said.

Lin claimed the pair exchanged insults and that he pretended to kick Tan without making any contact.

He alleged that Tan then kicked him and threatened to call the police.

Tan disputed this, saying Lin had kicked him instead.

He said he later lodged a police report over the incident.

Another resident, surnamed Zheng, said he was issued a ticket after washing his car while visiting his parents in September 2025.

A few days later, he received a notice after someone allegedly filmed him pouring water into a drain.

"The photos are very clear," he said. "If there were cameras pointed at you every day, would you be comfortable living like that?"

Another resident said he had seen people being photographed on several occasions.

"As long as we park our cars downstairs, there are cameras pointed at us," he said, adding that a friend was fined after being photographed throwing a cigarette butt outside his car.