SINGAPORE: An alert resident has helped the police to nab a man for attempted housebreaking.

Flat owner Mr Yeo was first alerted when he heard a knock on the front door of his unit at Block 203 Jurong East Street 21 at about 10.15am on Thursday.

He initially ignored it but when he looked through the peephole, he noticed a man putting on a pair of white gloves and was trying to pry open the wooden door with a screwdriver.

At this point, Mr Yeo's neighbour happened to open his door and the suspect quickly walked away.

Mr Yeo and his wife trailed the suspect and called the police.

He gave the police a detailed description of the suspect and the bus the suspect had boarded at the Jurong East interchange.

The police and Aetos officers manning the Tuas checkpoint spotted the bus and detained the 50-year-old suspect.

The man, who is from Hong Kong, will be charged in court on Saturday with attempted housebreaking by day. If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 10 years. - CNA/vm