 Water dispensers hit 40 times in four months
WITH just a baton in hand, he confronted the two thieves.
Staff Sergeant Chua Seng Kiat was determined to end a spate of coin thefts in the western part of Singapore.
He held the thieves at bay until reinforcements arrived moments later, and the men were arrested.
And the haul was not exactly small change.
Over about four months last year, washing bays in carparks were hit more than 40 times by culprits who stole about $8,000 in all.
The thieves targeted only coin-operated water dispensers in HDB multi-storey carparks at night.
Most times, they got $100 to $150 worth of coins from each machine.
It started in Choa Chu Kang last August and spread to carparks in Jurong West, Woodlands, Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Batok West.
Said Staff Sergeant (Ssgt) David Tay, 27, from Jurong Police Division, the investigating officer for the case: 'It became rampant in September. With the help of Hong Kah Town Council, we were able to know which carparks were their favourite spots.'
For a week, the police observed twocarparks in Bukit Batok that had been hit six times.
At around 3.40am on 21 Oct, a motorcyclist with a pillion rider entered one of them, in Block 395A.
Said Ssgt Chua, 28: 'These two were suspicious because they were constantly glancing at their surroundings.
'I called for back-up and moved behind a wall near the washing bay.'
The pillion rider got off and took out a tool wrapped in a gunny sack.
While he tampered with the lock, Ssgt Chua observed that the motorcyclist kept a lookout.
Said Ssgt Chua: 'I heard coins being removed from a container and into a bag. Some fell to the ground.'
Other officers laying an ambush elsewhere rushed to the carpark.
BLOCKED GETAWAY
Ssgt Chua said: 'I was afraid that they would get away. The culprit with the stolen coins was already walking to the motorcycle. I had to do something to stop them.'
He jumped from behind the wall and, with his police baton drawn, identified himself with a shout.
The two were caught off-guard and seemed too stunned to move, he said.
Ssgt Chua then stood in front of the motorcyclist to prevent him from riding off.
The culprits, who did not struggle, were soon surrounded by the team.
One arresting officer, Staff Sergeant Tan Wei Liam, 28, said: 'We were all relieved because it had not been easy catching them. Their 'playground' was so large.'
The duo had damaged many keyholes and locks of the machines.
Said Ssgt Tan: 'We've never had problems with water dispensers that use the CashCard system because there's nothing to steal.'
But the crime trail did not end with the arrest of the two men, Idris Chaimin, 41, and Salim Ahmad, 45, who were both sentenced to 18months' jail.
Said Ssgt Tay: 'During interrogation we discovered the identity of the third thief and where he lived.
'All three jobless men have a history of habitual drug use and property offences.
'But stealing coins from water-dispensers was a new way for them to get money quick. They needed the easy money to satisfy their drug habit.'
In November, Rosman Raman, the man who had taught the two how to steal from the machines, was arrested at his flat.
There, police found tools he had used to commit 10 thefts.
The 34-year-old was sentenced to 24months' jail. | 
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