Man arrested for allegedly attacking debt collectors with golf club, stick

New Paper

2 days ago

A man was arrested after allegedly attacking debt collectors with a wooden stick and a golf club outside his Tampines flat on July 10.
Stomper Randy alerted Stomp to a social media post about the incident by SG Collectors, the licensed debt collection agency that employs the debt collectors.
When contacted by Stomp, SG Collectors general manager Kelvin Ho said of the incident: "This was a lawful debt recovery visit involving a food supply debt.
"Our staff were met with extreme provocation, including spitting, verbal abuse and two separate physical attacks - one involving a wooden block and the other with a golf club - which resulted in hospital treatment and stitches for one of our officers."
SG Collectors elaborated in the Facebook post: "Our client - a licensed food supplier - delivered all goods as agreed to the debtor, a food stall owner.
"Despite fulfilling the agreement, the debtor refused to make payment and repeatedly dodged responsibility with excuses."
The post included a video showing the debt collectors knocking on the debtor's door.
After the debtor opened the door, he and the debt collectors started taunting each other through the closed gate.
The Facebook post recounted: "During a lawful visit to the debtor's residence, the situation escalated rapidly due to aggressive and threatening conduct.
"He began by spitting saliva from inside his gate - a direct and deliberate act of provocation. He then struck his own gate multiple times using a wooden block, likely intending to intimidate our staff or fabricate false accusations."
In the video, the "wooden block" looked more a stick.
The post continued: "Once the gate opened, the debtor attempted to attack our staff with the wooden block. Our team kept their composure and avoided physical retaliation. The debtor was eventually pulled back inside.
"As our staff were leaving, the debtor re-emerged - now armed with a golf club - and approached them from behind in an aggressive manner."
Vulgarities were exchanged between the two parties.
"Out of concern for their safety, our team did not dare to fully walk off, fearing a sudden strike from behind," said the post.
"One staff member then used his leg to shut the gate defensively to prevent the armed debtor from charging out. There was no intent to cause damage - only to protect themselves.
"Despite this, the debtor swung the golf club and struck one of our officers, who was unarmed and unprotected."
After a struggle, one of the debt collectors managed to grab the golf club away from the man and dropped it on the floor.
A debt collector was shown in the video bleeding on his right arm. SG Collectors said he went to the hospital where he received stitches.
The post added: "Due to extreme provocation - including spitting and visible threats involving weapons - there were abusive words exchanged by both parties during the incident. However, we firmly maintain that no level of verbal provocation justifies physical violence, especially not the use of a weapon.
"We acknowledge that one of our staff responded in the heat of the moment, and we do not deny this. Moving forward, we are taking internal steps to reinforce our standards of professionalism.
"Regardless of the vulgarities or insults used by the debtor, our staff must remain composed and avoid returning the same kind of language. This is a point we are committed to correcting within our team - we hold ourselves to higher standards, even when faced with unacceptable abuse."
SG Collectors also explained why it is revealing the debtor's face in the video.
The post said: "Due to the seriousness of this incident - including deliberate provocation, gangster-like intimidation, assault with a weapon, and personal harassment - SG Collectors will not conceal the debtor's identity in any footage released.
"This is no longer a standard debt recovery - this is a matter of legal debt recovery members safety and legal accountability."
In response to a Stomp query, the police said they received a call for assistance at 2.25pm.
Preliminary investigations revealed that four men aged between 36 and 57 were involved in a dispute. Two of them sustained minor injuries but refused to be taken to the hospital.
The 57-year-old man was arrested for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means.
SG Collectors said in its post: "We don't raise our hands, we don't provoke, and we don't run from trouble - but we also will not tolerate being spat at, insulted, assaulted or threatened with gangsterism."
Police investigations are ongoing.