3 youths nabbed for loansharking activities

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested three youths, aged 14 and 16, for suspected involvement in loansharking activities.

On September 4 at about 7.40pm, police received a call from a resident who spotted two male subjects behaving suspiciously along the third floor of a HDB block at Tampines Avenue 9.

Officers from Bedok Police Division managed to detain the two 14—year—old suspects.

A search was conducted and three bicycle locks, a can of paint, a blue marker and two mobile phones were seized for investigations.

A 16—year—old suspect was subsequently arrested on September 5 at about 12.20am, in the vicinity of Woodlands Street 31.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the two 14—year—old suspects are believed to have scrawled loanshark—related graffiti at the second floor staircase landing, while the 16—year—old suspect had acted as a look—out.

The 16—year—old suspect will be charged in Court on September 6 for loanshark harassment while investigations against the two 14—year—old suspects are on—going.

Under the Moneylenders Act (Revised Edition 2010), first time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment could be fined S$5,000 to S$50,000, with mandatory imprisonment of up to five years and mandatory caning of up to six strokes.

— CNA/cc