SINGAPORE — Five male teenagers — all aged 18 — were arrested by the police for their suspected involvement in a case of theft in Chua Chu Kang, where access to letterboxes in six public housing blocks were compromised on Friday (Sept 11).

In a news release issued close to midnight, the police said on Friday that officers from the Jurong Police Division were patrolling near Choa Chu Kang North 5 at about 3am on the day when they came across the five boys “behaving suspiciously” at the void deck of Block 707 Choa Chua Kang Street 53.

“During the checks, the officers discovered a number of parcels, believed to be stolen from letterboxes, in their possession,” the police said.

The teenagers are believed to have damaged six sets of letterboxes in the vicinity of Choa Chu Kang North 5 and Choa Chu Kang Street 53.

The five were later arrested for theft with common intention, the police said. Investigations are ongoing.

On Friday afternoon, the Singapore Post (SingPost) issued a news release to say that the master doors of six sets of letterboxes were forcibly pried open. They were located at Blocks 706, 707 and 708 along Choa Chu Kang Street 53 and Blocks 756, 757 and 758 along Choa Chu Kang North 5.

Postmen have to open the master doors to slot mail into individual letterboxes. The lock mechanisms were found to be tampered with or damaged but were later repaired by 7am, after a town council employee reported the incidents at 5.30am.

SingPost said that it is working with the police on the case and residents who suspect that their mail may have been taken may contact Choa Chu Kang NPC at 1800 765 9999.

Members of the public with information on this matter should also contact the police.

If found guilty of theft, the teenagers can be jailed up to three years or fined, or both.

For the offence of vandalism, they can be jailed up to three years and fined up to S$2,000.

For subsequent convictions of vandalism, they may get three to eight strokes of the cane.