An auxiliary police officer deployed at Changi Airport was arrested in the early hours on Friday (May 10) for failing to return his service revolver after his duty ended.
The 27-year-old man, a Singaporean, also did not return the ammunition and a baton to the armoury, according to a news release by the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
The police were alerted by security company Certis at about 9.50pm on Thursday, after the man had already left his workplace with his service revolver, 10 rounds of ammunition and baton, according to the report.
Authorities used closed-circuit television (CCTV) images and cameras to track his whereabouts, leading to his arrest two-and-a-half hours later in a shopping mall along Victoria Street.
The items were found in his bag.
More than 100 officers from various police departments responded to the incident, including the Criminal Investigation Department, Police Intelligence Department, Central Police Division, Bedok Police Division, Airport Police Division and Special Operations Command.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had reported to work, drawn his revolver and began his deployment at Changi Airport. He then changed out of his uniform after duty and left with the firearms without authorization.
The police confirmed that the revolver was not discharged or used against anyone during the incident.
The reason why the man did not return his weapon and his intentions with it remain unknown.
According to ST, the man was seen wandering around the shopping mall on Victoria Street after midnight when he was apprehended by authorities. Despite having a gun in his possession, he did not resist arrest or make any attempts to access the weapon.
Police stated that the suspect will be referred for a psychiatric evaluation.The reason for the suspect’s failure to return the weapon and his intentions remain unclear.
A Certis spokesperson, in response to inquiries from The Straits Times, confirmed that the officer has been suspended and expressed willingness to collaborate with ongoing investigations.
“The man involved in the unlawful carrying of a firearm has demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law and abused the firearms entrusted to him for his duties,” said acting DCP Zhang Weihan in press release.
“Police officers had worked tirelessly to secure his swift arrest and ensured that public safety was maintained,” added Acting DC & Director Of CID Zhang.
“The police will not tolerate such acts that endanger the public’s safety”, he further added.
CERTIS SPOKESPERSON :
“Certis has put in place stringent systems and processes to detect and deal with such incidents in a timely manner, including a warning system that triggers an alert when a firearm is not returned post-duty.
“The safety of the public is our utmost priority. Certis has zero tolerance for misuse of firearms and we expect full compliance from our officers to adhere to our strict protocol on weapons and controlled equipment.”
The man will be charged in court on Saturday for unlawful carrying of a firearm, which carries a potential jail term of between five and 14 years, and at least six strokes of the cane.
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