Two men arrested for causing public alarm after leaving bags unattended at MRT station

SINGAPORE – Two men aged 25 and 27 were arrested for an offence of Public Nuisance after they left three bags unattended at Aljunied MRT station on Friday (May 26) morning.  

TODAY understands that the two men are from Bangladesh. 

The police said that officers were alerted to the three unattended bags at the concourse of Aljunied MRT station at 9.52am. 

In a statement, SMRT said the unattended bags were found during a regular security check. "Our station staff observed three unattended bags at Exit B of Aljunied MRT station around 9.45am this (Friday) morning. Our staff immediately alerted TransComm officers to the incident," said Mr Patrick Nathan, Vice President for Corporate Information and Communications. 

Officers from the Bedok Police Division and Public Transport Security Command, with the assistance of SMRT staff, traced and detained the owners of the bags at Aljunied MRT station at about 10.15 am.

The three bags were later established to contain only food and household items.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the two men had intentionally left their bags at the concourse area while they went to the toilet at the station. Investigations are still ongoing.

In Friday’s release, the Police said they treat all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who intentionally cause public alarm.

Anyone found guilty of causing public nuisance can be punished with a fine of up to S$1,000.

Earlier in April, 39-year-old Chinese national Wang Jianpo was also arrested for leaving a blue luggage bag unattended at Hougang MRT station, causing the station to be briefly shut down. The bag was later established to contain only household items.

He was charged on May 17 with causing public nuisance, and indicated that he will plead guilty to the offence. 

In another incident on April 19, Woodleigh MRT station was also shut down after SBS Transit staff found the white substance suspicious and alerted the police. 

The suspicious substance was later found to be flour, left by the Seletar Hash House Harriers running group who were marking a trail for their evening run.