Upper Thomson break-ins: police probe second case days apart near MacRitchie

Police are investigating two reported break-ins at landed homes near Upper Thomson Road after a homeowner said a masked intruder entered her property at night and fled when spotted. The authorities said a separate, similar incident took place days earlier in a nearby estate, with both homes located close to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

On Feb 21, a man allegedly entered a home in Marigold Drive at about 9.40pm. He left after an occupant screamed, according to police accounts provided to media. Officers are tracing a suspect, and investigations are ongoing.

Two incidents, one cluster near the forest

Police said they received a call for assistance on Feb 17 at about 7.50pm at a residential estate along Taman Permata. Preliminary checks showed that an individual had allegedly entered a home without permission and left before police arrived. The authorities did not announce any arrest in that case and said efforts to identify the suspect are under way.

The Marigold Drive and Taman Permata locations sit close to each other near Upper Thomson Road. The homes also border dense greenery linked to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, which includes MacRitchie Reservoir.

Residents interviewed described a common worry: the forested edge behind some properties can offer concealment and quick escape routes.

A resident describes a brazen intruder

A Marigold Drive resident, who gave her name as Amanda but asked that her full name not be used, said she has lived in the house for about 40 years. She told reporters that the intruder appeared undeterred by signs that people were home.

At the time, some lights in her multi-storey house were on. The property backs a forested area. Amanda said her tenant, a 34-year-old woman renting a ground-floor room at the front of the house, spotted the intruder first.

Amanda said she was upstairs with her domestic helper when she heard a scream at around 9.30pm. She ran downstairs and found her tenant pointing towards the rear of the house, which leads to the forest. The back door was ajar, and Amanda said it showed signs of tampering.

She described the intruder as wearing a black balaclava, a hat, and long-sleeved clothing. A balaclava is a tight head covering that hides most of the face. Amanda said the man did not take anything from her home.

Later that night, she saw multiple Special Operations Command police vehicles in the area. The intruder was not found, she said.

Neighbours step up security and contact

Residents in the estate said they have started taking extra precautions. Amanda said she has been speaking with a security firm about installing cameras, and she expects a neighbour to do the same. She added that neighbours created a group chat to share updates.

She also said her tenant moved out temporarily to stay with her boyfriend after the incident.

Another resident, Michael Ho, said he has lived in the estate for more than three decades. He recalled an attempted break-in at his home more than 30 years ago that failed after his dog and helper intervened. Ho, 78, said he has already installed cameras and motion-sensor lights. He also said he planned to buy motion-sensor lights for a neighbour who feels anxious.

A third neighbour, who declined to be named, said she learned about the incident when police spoke to residents. She described the neighbourhood as peaceful and said she had no immediate plans to add more security, while noting that neighbours tend to look out for one another.

Why residents link the cases to past break-ins

The two incidents recalled a spate of landed-property break-ins reported in 2024, including a case in the nearby Windsor Park Road area in which two Chinese nationals stole more than S$570,000 worth of jewellery. In that broader 2024 cluster, police said they received 10 burglary reports between June and August involving landed homes near areas such as the Rail Corridor, Bukit Timah Road and Windsor Park Road. Police later arrested three men and identified additional suspects who had left Singapore by the time of the investigation updates.

In follow-up reporting on those earlier cases, investigators described methods linked to foreign syndicates. One tactic involved splitting roles across teams, with one group breaking into homes and another collecting stolen items left in nearby wooded areas later.

After those 2024 cases, police said they stepped up deterrence in affected estates. Measures included increased patrols and efforts to deploy more cameras in private residential areas.

What police have said so far

For the Feb 21 Marigold Drive case, police said they are looking for a suspect who allegedly entered a home without permission and left before officers arrived. For the Feb 17 Taman Permata case, police said preliminary investigations pointed to an unauthorised entry, with the individual leaving before police got there.

Police have not released details such as the suspect’s identity, whether the two incidents involve the same person, or whether any items were taken in the Feb 17 case. They have said investigations continue.

As residents add cameras, lights and neighbourhood chat groups, the focus now sits on whether the two incidents form a pattern tied to the forest fringe. Police have asked for time to trace the suspect and establish the facts behind the reported entries.