Alleged molester caught in 13 minutes
She was watching television around midnight last Saturday when she heard a commotion outside her flat.
When Madam Yen Sukim, 34, opened the door, she saw a man facing a wall being handcuffed by a policeman.
A woman, who lives in the neighbourhood, was walking home around midnight from Tampines MRT station when a man approached her from behind and allegedly touched her.
She screamed and alerted a passer-by. They gave chase and called the police.
They saw the man running up a flight of stairs in Block 230F at Tampines Street 24, about 300m away.
After two police officers arrived, the passer-by directed them to the staircase.
They later arrested a suspect on the third storey.
Madam Yen told The New Paper: "I heard loud noises and thought there was a fight going on outside my flat. I opened the door and saw him being arrested."
Logistics executive Yeo Liang Wei, 27, has been charged with molesting a 33-year-old woman near Block 259, Tampines Street 21.
Yesterday, the police took Yeo back to the crime scene as part of the investigation.
In the first half of this year, there were 832 reported outrage of modesty cases, an increase of 147 cases compared with the same period last year.
On Sunday, a 23-year-old National University of Singapore student was arrested for allegedly molesting a 28-year-old woman on the MRT.
Last month, 12 men, aged between 22 and 59, were charged in court in 12 separate outrage of modesty cases reported between January 2017 and July this year.
Yeo faces one count of outrage of modesty and will reappear in court tomorrow. He is in remand.
If convicted, he can be jailed for up to two years, fined, caned, given any two of the penalties.
Police advice
The police have advised members of the public to adopt crime prevention measures to prevent molest cases.
- Be aware of your surroundings and of any suspicious person(s).
- Carry a shrill alarm.
- When on public transport or at entertainment outlets, move away if someone stands or sits too close to you.
- If molested, seek help immediately. Note the features and attire of the suspect and direction in which he fled.
- Call 999 as soon as possible. If it is safe to do so, you or the witnesses may assist to detain the suspect while waiting for the police.
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