Police arrest Guatemalan for housebreaking

SINGAPORE: A 40—year—old man, who is in Singapore as a tourist, has been arrested for housebreaking.

The man, who is from Guatemala in Central America, was caught at a budget hotel in Balestier Road on Tuesday. He then led police to a rented room in Claymore Drive, near Orchard Road.

There, police found 22 branded watches, 35 pieces of jewellery, and foreign currencies with a total value of about S$300,000.

The suspect is believed to have stolen from nine landed properties.

He will be charged in court on November 1.

Police have expressed concern with the increased number of break—ins in October 2012 in landed properties, especially in the Bukit Timah and Thomson areas.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police and Commander of Tanglin Police Division Lu Yeow Lim, said: "From this case and other similar cases we have solved in the past, we know that there are criminal gangs from overseas coming to Singapore to commit housebreaking and other offences.

"The word out there is that Singaporeans are not security—conscious and therefore easy prey. We will step up our patrol to address this. But landed property owners must do their part to protect and safeguard their own premises. This includes installing quality grills, and gridlocks."

—CNA/ac