Four arrested for loanshark harassment in two days

Police have arrested two women aged 23 and 30, one 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old for suspected involvement in loansharking activities in three separate cases.

The 17-year-old male suspect was arrested on May 1 at about 11.50pm at a HDB block along Yishun Ring Road.

A mobile phone containing debtors' records was found in his possession.

The suspect is believed to be a debtor-turned-runner who had committed several cases of loanshark harassment in Yishun.

He will be charged in court tomorrow.

The other arrests were made on May 2, in two separate cases.

In the first case, two women were found at Bedok North St 1 with loanshark-related paraphernalia such as paint and markers in their possession. They also had suspected debtors’ records and a handphone containing photos of suspected loanshark harassment. They will be charged in court tomorrow.

In the second case at about 3.30 pm, officers from Bedok Police Division arrested the 20-year-old suspect in the vicinity of Sungei Gedong.

He is believed to be responsible for several cases of loanshark harassment island-wide, as well as for a case of harassment in the Pasir Ris area where raw beef was used.

The suspect will be charged in court on May 4.

First time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment shall be fined not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000 with mandatory imprisonment of up to 5 years and mandatory caning of up to 6 strokes.

candicec@sph.com.sg