Man arrested after locking himself in Woodlands flat with wife, baby in 3-hour stand-off with police

Osmond Chia
The Straits Times
Oct 5, 2022

A man locked himself in a flat with his wife and one-year-old son, refusing to open the door for the police for more than three hours on Monday morning.

Police officers, including crisis negotiators, and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers were deployed over concerns that Mr Vincent Lin, 33, would harm himself or others, with neighbours saying that at least 20 officers had surrounded the flat at Block 182A Woodlands Street 13.

He later opened the door and was arrested at around 1.20pm. The police said he had obstructed officers from carrying out their duties, and added that investigations are under way.

His wife, 38, and his child were found to have minor injuries, according to SCDF. It did not mention the nature or cause of their injuries.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Tuesday, Mr Lin, who has since been returned home, claimed he had locked himself in as he suspected that social workers were there to take his son away.

ST has contacted the Ministry of Social and Family Development for comment.

Neighbours said they would hear shouting from the unit occasionally in the past year, which left them worried.

Mr Lin said in Mandarin: "I've only ever shouted and argued with my wife, but that is normal in any family. I'm so confused about what is the problem here."

The couple were married in 2015.

A resident, 73, who declined to be named, said she was instructed by the police to remain indoors when she wanted to air her clothes along the corridor on Monday morning.

She said she heard Mr Lin shouting at the police during the stand-off, saying that his family matters were none of their business.

The housewife said in Mandarin: "I was afraid. I've never seen so many police officers here before in my three years living here."

In another stand-off with the authorities in March, police officers had to force their way into an Ang Mo Kio flat after two men, aged 52 and 53, locked themselves in with their elderly mother for five hours.

Life safety air packs were deployed as a precautionary measure, in case of a fall from height.

Separately, on May 3, two men were arrested for criminal trespass and suspected drug-related offences after an eight-hour stand-off with the police at a Redhill housing block.