SINGAPORE: An 18-year-old man wielding a pair of scissors was arrested on Wednesday (Dec 27) for public nuisance after he entered various shops at Bedok Mall and damaged their property.

The police said in a Facebook post at about 6.30pm that it was attending to an incident at Bedok Mall and had detained a man. No one was injured in the incident, it added.



In an update, the police added that the man, who had a history of mental health problems, had been arrested for public nuisance.

(INCIDENT AT BEDOK MALL)



An 18-year-old man was found to be holding on to a pair of scissors and causing trouble in the mall. The man who has a history of mental health problems has been arrested for public nuisance. Police investigations are ongoing. — SingaporePoliceForce (@SingaporePolice) December 27, 2017

Channel NewsAsia understands that shortly after 6pm, authorities received reports that a man carrying a weapon had entered various shops in the mall, smashing items.



He is understood to have smashed glass panels at various stores in the mall and shouted at customers. CapitaLand, which operates Bedok Mall, told Channel NewsAsia that the man had entered fewer than 10 stores.

Channel NewsAsia understands that the man was detained by an off-duty police officer, who was later assisted by the mall's security officers.



An eyewitness told Channel NewsAsia that she was at a Starbucks outlet in the mall when she heard glass shattering at a watch store.

When she rushed to the shop, the man was sitting on the floor, the eyewitness said.

"He kept saying that he needed to take his medication and only then would he be calm," added the eyewitness, who asked for anonymity.

"We are extending our fullest cooperation to the police in their ongoing investigations," said Mr Mustafa Abdul Rahim, the mall's general manager.

Police investigations are ongoing.

CapitaLand said that Bedok Mall's operations were not disrupted by the incident.