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SINGAPORE: A 37-year-old woman was arrested after Budget 2020 grocery coupons were stolen from mailboxes in a residential block in Toa Payoh, Singapore Police (SPF) said.
Police have urged people to collect their vouchers “as soon as possible” after similar incidents elsewhere.
Police said they were informed last Sunday that mailboxes were tampered with on a block along Lorong 7 Toa Payoh.
Through investigations and with the help of police camera footage, authorities captured the woman on the same day, also at Lorong 7 Toa Payoh.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the woman is believed to have stolen Budget 2020 grocery vouchers from mailboxes that do not belong to her,” SPF said in a press release on Tuesday (October 13), adding that investigations were ongoing.
SingPost said it found that the doors of some mailboxes were ajar. (Photo: SingPost)
A day later, in a Facebook post, the police added that they had also received reports of similar incidents in other residential areas and were also investigating these cases.
Separately, according to a SingPost statement, several Redhill mailboxes were reported on Tuesday morning to have been “forcibly opened.”
The affected blocks are:
– Blocks 55, 56, 57, 58 and 59, Lengkok Bahru
– Blocks 71 and 72, Redhill Road
– Blocks 89 and 90, Redhill Close
“An emergency response team was dispatched immediately and the doors of some mailboxes were found to be ajar,” said SingPost Group Brand and Communications Director Mr. Robin Goh.
“The main doors of the nine mailbox nests were closed and locked. Upon closer inspection, scratches, dents, and other signs of tampering were found on the open mailboxes.
“We have confirmed through internal controls that the probable acts of vandalism and theft could have taken place after our postman left the area at 1:00 p.m. on October 12, 2020,” Goh said.
He added that SingPost staff had since secured all mail inside the tampered mailboxes and would personally deliver them to the doors of affected residents.
“We are also in contact with the police and we will provide all the necessary assistance for their investigations.
SPF recommended those who are eligible for grocery vouchers to pick them up from the mailbox “as soon as possible” and to ensure that the mailbox is protected at all times.
“If you suspect your coupons have been stolen, immediately file a police report and contact the Grocery Voucher hotline at 1800-2222-888 to request that your coupons be voided and replaced. Voided vouchers cannot be redeemed, ”said SPF.
A 37-year-old woman was arrested after Budget 2020 grocery coupons were stolen from mailboxes in a residential block in Toa Payoh. (Photo: Facebook / SPF)
He added that people should call the police immediately if they see someone suspicious loitering near the mailboxes.
Theft carries a jail term of up to three years or a fine or both.
