Every once in a while, we see Yishun back in the headlines. This time, Yishun is back on the news after a beggar, who some Yishun residents suspect is part of a foreign begging syndicate, was arrested by the police.
Here’s what you need to know about it.
Disabled Beggar at Yishun Arrested By Police; Beggar Found to be a Foreigner
On Friday (13 September), a beggar selling tissues in the area around Block 846 Yishun Ring Road was allegedly arrested after a woman called the police.
And before all you keyboard warriors start flaming the woman who called the police, according to Shin Min Daily News, the woman had initially called the police as she wanted to help the beggar.
You see, the beggar was disabled — he was missing his left arm, and his right forearm also appeared to be amputated. The woman had called the police hoping they would help the beggar.
To her surprise, when the police arrived, they questioned him and then took the beggar away.
According to shopkeepers in the area, the beggar was seen around the area for about two weeks and sat quietly selling tissues. Some passers-by would give him money — a shopkeeper shared that one passer-by had even once given the beggar a $50 note.
Beggar Found to be a Foreigner
But that’s not all there is to the story.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the beggar appears to be a foreigner. Eyewitnesses shared that upon the police’s arrival, the police found a foreign passport in the beggar’s backpack which presumably belongs to the beggar himself.
While it’s unclear why exactly the beggar was arrested, it could be because begging in Singapore is prohibited under the Destitute Persons Act. Habitual beggars are generally liable on conviction to a fine of up to $3,000 or imprisonment for a term of up to two years.
Typically, foreigners will also be deported after serving their sentence.
Multiple Beggars Spotted in Yishun: Residents Concerned that Beggars Are Part of Syndicate
The beggar that was allegedly arrested isn’t the only beggar which Yishun residents have spotted in the vicinity recently.
According to Shin Min Daily News, residents have reported seeing three disabled beggars selling tissues in the area recently, and have raised concerns that these beggars are part of a “foreign begging syndicate”.
“Besides the man who was taken away by the police, I saw another man with a leg disability selling tissues a few weeks ago. This month, I’ve seen three such people, all foreigners, who generally appear early in the morning on weekends,” shared one resident interviewed by Shin Min Daily News.
Even if it is eventually found that these beggars are part of a “foreign begging syndicate”, it’s not that big of a surprise either — just this month, the Johor immigration office arrested six Chinese nationals who were allegedly part of a “foreign beggar syndicate” known as the “Disabled Beggars Gang”.
Well, we can only wait and see whether the beggar who was arrested at Yishun is also part of this “foreign begging syndicate”.
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