Knife-related crimes in Singapore totalled 150 annually on average in past 5 years
SINGAPORE — The number of knife-related crimes in Singapore involving murder, robbery, rioting and serious hurt has averaged about 150 cases annually in the past five years, said Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan on Monday (4 April).
Speaking in Parliament in response to questions from MPs, Tan said that 36 per cent of these crimes occurred in residential areas, three per cent happened in educational institutions’ premises and the remaining cases occured in other public and commercial premises.
For urgent incidents, such as those involving dangerous weapons, police are able to respond within 15 minutes of the call, Tan said.
The officers will use force if necessary to protect and to save lives, including their own lives, and prevent the commission of an offence and arrest subjects when such incidents arise, he added.
“Where a person refuses to comply with police's instructions and poses a threat to the lives of those around him including the police officers, the officers may use lethal force to neutralise the threat.”
Tan’s comments come amid a recent spate of police officers being activated to respond to such incidents and the relevant suspects being charged in court.
In one incident, a man wielding a knife was shot dead by police during a confrontation at a Bendemeer Road HDB block near Boon Keng.
Among the suspects who have been charged in court for the suspected role in knife incidents are a man who allegedly threw a knife that hit a police officer's right cheek at Bukit Batok West, a man who purportedly attacked a pedestrian and several cars with a samurai sword at Buangkok Crescent, and a man who allegedly injured several people with a razor blade at Strathmore Avenue.
The Ministry of Home Affairs currently regulates six items under the Arms and Explosives Act (AEA): sword, spear, spear head, dagger, bayonet and dangerous bows and arrows. This list of regulated weapons will be expanded to include items such as knuckle dusters, and flick knives when the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act replaces the AEA later this year.
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