Man Jailed For Sticking Toothpicks Into Bus Seat

A 60-year-old Singaporean man is under
investigation for inserting toothpicks into a
seat on a public bus, a suspected case of
"mischief" that could put him behind bars
for up to two years, the police said on
Tuesday.




"Through extensive inquiries and with the
assistance of CCTV footage, officers ...
established the identity of the suspect," a
police statement said.



Pictures of three toothpicks sticking up from
the seat were posted last month by a
Facebook user, who said she noticed them
just as she was about to sit down.



"Remember to check your seat next time
before sitting, guys!" she wrote. The post
was shared more than 2,500 times.



Singapore, a wealthy city-state, has one of
the lowest crime rates in the world.



However, one of the government's public
information slogans is: "Low crime doesn't
mean no crime".



Authorities come down hard on minor
crimes such as vandalism, which is
punishable by caning, and the import of
chewing gum is banned, in part to keep
public spaces clean.



Two years ago, a smoker was fined S
$19,800 ($14,550) for throwing cigarette
ends out of a window of his flat for days.




The police said investigations into the case
of the toothpicks were continuing. The
offense of mischief carries a punishment of
imprisonment for up to two years or a fine,
or both.