A Singapore Police Force (SPF) Facebook post on 18 April at 5:17pm informed that the police have arrested a 69-year-old man for an offence of Public Nuisance under the Penal Code after he left a suspicious white substance at Woodleigh MRT station, causing about three hours temporary closure of the station.
“The Police treat all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who causes public alarm,” the post said.
SCDF has established that the unknown substance that had caused Woodleigh Station to be temporarily closed was baking flour. Woodleigh MRT Station resumed services yesterday at 4.20pm.
In an update at 7:29pm yesterday, the SPF Facebook post informed that two other men aged 53 and 70 are currently assisting with investigations into the case of white substance. Preliminary investigations revealed that they were together with the arrested man who left the white substance at Woodleigh MRT station.
“The white substance was subsequently established to be flour used ‘to mark a trail for their running route’. Police investigations are ongoing,” the update said.
Channel NewsAsia reported that assistant station manager Mailyn B Carriaga said the white powder had been found in three or four places at the station’s concourse area. She said it was a cleaner who first spotted the substance, and then the station manager informed the police.
In a similar incident in the beginning of this month, the police arrested a 39-year-old man for an offence of Public Nuisance that had caused a brief shutdown of Hougang MRT station.
The police also reminded the public to report any suspicious items or behaviour to the transport authorities or the police immediately.
