Four arrested in Singapore over alleged abduction and parang threat

Singaporean police have arrested four people, comprising two men and two women aged between 30 and 38, in connection with a case involving abduction and the possession of a scheduled weapon. The arrests followed an incident reported early Tuesday morning.

Authorities were alerted to a man being threatened with a parang, a type of machete, at a carpark along Canberra Street. Preliminary investigations indicate the victim was confronted by the group due to a disagreement concerning a car rental agreement. During the confrontation, a 38-year-old man allegedly brandished a parang and threatened the victim.

The victim was then compelled to sit in the front passenger seat of his own vehicle. The 38-year-old man drove the vehicle with the victim and another 36-year-old man as passengers to a different location. Responding to information received, police located the victim's car. Upon seeing the police, the 38-year-old driver allegedly fled with the victim and the 36-year-old man still inside.

A police chase ensued, concluding when the vehicle crashed into a lamppost at the intersection of Woodlands Avenue 7 and Woodlands Avenue 10. The 36-year-old man fled the scene on foot after the collision, while the 38-year-old man was apprehended at the crash site, with a parang found in his possession. The two women, aged 30 and 38, were arrested later through follow-up investigations.

The 38-year-old man faces charges for abduction and possession of a scheduled weapon. If convicted of abduction, he could receive up to seven years in jail, a fine, caning, or a combination of these penalties. Conviction for possessing a scheduled weapon carries a potential jail term of up to five years, at least six strokes of the cane, and a fine of up to S$2,500. Investigations into the 36-year-old man and the two women are ongoing.

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Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim was confronted by the four persons due to a dispute over a car rental agreement, and the 38-year-old man from the group brandished a parang and threatened the victim.