Three men and one woman, aged between 19 and 63, will be charged in court on 17 June 2020 for abusive and irresponsible behaviour relating to flouting of safe distancing measures during the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker period.
The cases are as follows:
a. On 19 April 2020, a 63-year-old Singaporean man, while outside his place of residence allegedly stole a brassiere that was hanging on a clothes rack outside a residential unit at Block 353 Bukit Batok Street 34. He was seen loitering in the vicinity of the unit and was not wearing his mask properly over his nose and mouth. For stealing the brassiere, the man will be charged with theft under Section 379 of the Penal Code. For not wearing his mask properly and for leaving his place of residence without a valid reason, the man will be charged with breaching one count of regulation 3A(1)(a) and one count of regulation 4(2) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7)(a) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 respectively.
b. On 25 April 2020, police officers spotted a group of 12 personal mobility device (PMD) riders and their pillions riding along Lower Delta Road. For leaving their place of residence without a valid reason and for participating in a social gathering, a 19-year-old Singaporean man and a 25-year-old Singaporean woman will be charged with breaching one count of regulation 4(2) and one count of regulation 6 of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7)(a) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020. The other PMD riders and pillions will be dealt with separately.
c. On 26 April 2020, a 30-year-old Singaporean man was approached by a Safe Distancing Ambassador (SDA) and an Enforcement Officer (EO) along Upper Boon Keng Road for not wearing a mask. During the engagement, the man scolded vulgarities at the SDA and EO, and threw a popsicle at the SDA. The man also threw unused masks, which he had bought from a store nearby, at the EO’s face. For not wearing a mask in public, the man will be charged with breaching one count of regulation 3A(1)(a) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7)(a) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020. For using vulgarities and throwing the popsicle at the SDA, the man will be charged with one count of intentional harassment punishable under Section 3(2) of the Protection from Harassment Act and one count of criminal force under Section 352 of the Penal Code respectively. For using vulgarities against the EO, who is a public servant, and throwing masks at the EO’s face, the man will be charged with one count of using abusive words against a public servant under Section 6(1)(a) punishable under Section 6(3) of the Protection from Harassment Act and one count of using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty under Section 353 of the Penal Code respectively.
The Police take a stern view of abusive and irresponsible behaviour relating to the flouting of safe distancing measures. Offenders will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Members of the public should cooperate and comply with the instructions from SG Clean and Safe Distancing Ambassadors as well as EOs. The Police will not tolerate any verbal or physical abuse of them. They are performing an important duty to keep us and our community safe. Let us all do our part to curb the spread of COVID-19.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
16 June 2020 @ 8:20 PM