SINGAPORE – A strange habit has left a Singaporean driver with a loose bumper, several body scratches and a damaged interior, as well as a stark reminder that it’s never too safe to take precautions in Singapore.

Because his car key fob was faulty, Mr Wong Wei Loong and his wife have occasionally left their doors unlocked and their keys in the vehicle for much of the past two years.

But when the 37-year-old account executive from a creative agency went to collect a camera from the car on October 29 at around 11.20pm, the vehicle was missing from the lot where it was last parked in the car park many floors of the block. 457 Sengkang West Road.

After searching the parking lot for 40 minutes to no avail, Mr. Wong filed a police report.

“It took a while to establish that the car was actually stolen,” he said. “You really wouldn’t imagine it – the closest it could be is someone coming in and stealing a cash card or something. But everything was driven away.”

Another shock was to come for Mr Wong.

As he and his wife spoke to two police officers at the scene, he heard the familiar sound of his car’s engine revving before he saw the vehicle pull into the parking lot. Then the car was driven to the second floor.

Police officers moved quickly to intercept and stop the car and instructed those inside to get out. Six teenagers appeared.

In response to questions from ST, police said five males, aged between 14 and 16, and a 13-year-old girl were arrested for car theft.

“One of the male teenagers, aged 16, will also assist with inquiries for possession of an offensive weapon,” police said.

After Mr. Wong got his car back, he moved it and parked it on an upper floor. That’s when he discovered a number of items left behind by the teenagers, which were strewn across the front and back seats and floor of the car.

These included a vacuum cleaner, an e-vapor, a portable charger, a slipper, a coin and a receipt from a gas station.

The receipt showed that a transaction worth US$59.52 was made to fill up the car with petrol at an SPC petrol kiosk at 100 Punggol Central at 2.12am on Oct 29, indicating that the car was also taken with a the night before his disappearance was discovered. .