A 56-year-old man was arrested after allegedly using a catapult to shoot marbles at a flock of birds along Woodlands Ring Road.
One of the marbles was believed to have missed the birds and struck the bedroom window of a nearby HDB flat instead, damaging it.
Police Were Alerted to the Damaged Window
The police were alerted to the damaged bedroom window at Block 664 Woodlands Ring Road on 28 July 2026.
According to the Singapore Police Force, the damage was believed to have been caused by the impact of a projectile.
Officers from the Woodlands Police Division conducted extensive ground enquiries and established the identity of the man.
He was arrested on 1 August.
Police seized a catapult, an assortment of marbles and several pebbles as case exhibits.
Investigations indicated that the man had allegedly been using the catapult to fire marbles at a flock of birds in the area when one of them struck the window.
The police statement did not say whether any of the birds was hit or injured.
Man Was Expected to Be Charged With a Rash Act
In its statement on 2 August, the police said the man was scheduled to be charged in court on 3 August with committing a rash act under Section 336(a) of the Penal Code.
The offence carries a jail term of up to six months, a fine of up to S$2,500, or both.
The police said they take a serious view of dangerous acts that endanger others or cause damage to property.
They added that offenders would be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law.
The allegations against the man have not been proven in court.
A Similar Case Previously Ended in Jail
This is not the first time someone in Singapore has damaged property while allegedly trying to shoot at birds with marbles.
In April 2024, a 61-year-old man used a homemade slingshot to fire glass marbles at a tree near Zhenghua Community Club.
The man said he had been annoyed by the sound of birds chirping near his flat and was aiming at birds roosting in the tree.
However, the marbles struck and cracked glass panels at the community club instead. The estimated cost of dismantling and replacing the panels was S$29,000.
Lim pleaded guilty to committing a rash act that endangered the life or personal safety of others. He was sentenced to three weeks’ jail in August 2024.
