THE STAR
Police still in talks with man who has locked himself with boy in Singapore flat for more than 14 hours
SINGAPORE: A police operation is continuing on Wednesday morning in Sembawang, after a man locked himself in a flat with a two-year-old boy more than 14 hours earlier.
As of 9.30am, the authorities were still in negotiations with the 39-year-old man in his fifth-floor unit at Block 462, Sembawang Drive.
Police said they received a call at 6.44pm on Tuesday regarding the incident.
The man, who is a friend of the boy's mother, had apparently locked himself in after a dispute with her. The Straits Times understands the boy is unharmed.
A resident of the block, Adam Bhai, 33, a personal trainer, said he heard the loud cries of a child coming from the flat at around 8pm
"The man refused to open the door to police," a police spokesman said.
"Officers from Ang Mo Kio Division, Crisis Negotiation Unit and Special Operations Command are managing the incident," the spokesman added.
He said that the safety of the boy is of "paramount importance" and the toddler is "currently unharmed".
The police have advised the public to stay away from the cordoned-off area of the block and to comply with instructions from officers on the ground.
Sembawang GRC MP Lim Wee Kiak said the police are working hard to negotiate with the man and their most pressing concern is the safety of both the individual and the child.
He said they are trying to resolve the family dispute and based on database checks, the family is not on the Government's ComCare financial assistance.
"According to the police, what they have updated me so far is that the household is self sufficient - they have enough food and water, they are alright," said Dr Lim.
Dr Lim said the mother has three other children, whom are with their grandmother in Woodlands. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network.
