Police arrest man for alleged electronic bank card data theft in Little India

A 42-year-old man has been arrested by the police for allegedly using an electronic device to obtain bank card information illegally in Little India. In a statement early on Oct 20, the police said that on Oct 18, security officers at a retail establishment in Syed Alwi Road detained a man who was behaving suspiciously. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man, a Chinese national, had been moving suspiciously in Mustafa Centre and standing near customers while carrying a bag containing an electronic device, the police added. He was seen positioning his bag near customers' pockets, where their wallets were kept. The man was then detained by security officers and handed over to the police. The device was reportedly used to capture information from debit and credit cards equipped with near-field communication (NFC) functions. An electronic device, two power banks, a mobile phone and several bank cards were found in his possession and seized as case exhibits. He is set to be charged in court on Oct 20 for illegally obtaining personal information. If found guilty, he can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $10,000, or both. The police advised members of the public to remain vigilant and safeguard their personal information, including bank card information, from unauthorised access or collection.