Police hunt for Singapore’s ‘Heartbeat Molester’
By Faris – October 20th, 2010Email Facebook Twitter Print
The hunt is on for a serial molester who has preyed on more than 20 girls for the last eleven years.
Believed to be in his 30s, the 1.7m tall Chinese man has been dubbed the “Heartbeat Molester” for his ”signature” ploy when he would ask the would-be victims to feel his heartbeat.
Often seen wearing sunglasses, police said the man usually targets young girls between 8 to 12 years old on their way home from school on weekdays between 12.30pm and 4.30pm.
This year, it’s alleged that three molest cases in the north-eastern part of Singapore have been linked to the man.
According to The New Paper, it happened between the months of August and October, in the Sengkang, Hougang and Punggol area.
The most recent case happened 10 days ago when a nine-year-old girl was molested at Anchorvale in Sengkang.
His tactic sees him approach his lone victim at void decks or lift lobbies, pretending to ask for direction to a non-existent flat with a made-up unit number.
Conversing in either English or Mandarin, he would then ask his victim to lead the way and then bring her to a secluded staircase landing to commit the offence.
In some cases, he would pretend to need a rest and place the victim’s hand on his chest, saying he has a weak heart. He would sometimes be bold enough and move his victim’s hand down to his other body parts.
The man has been able to evade capture for more than a decade because of the age of his victims, his use of dark sunglasses and the lack of witnesses.
Police believe the molester has been lying low for seven years after his modus operandi was exposed during a Crime Watch television episode in 2003.
This time, however, police believe they may have a breakthrough in the case after closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage was captured of a tanned, fit-looking man with neatly combed hair and wearing a neatly tucked white polo shirt may be able to assist them in their investigations.
The molester usually preys on young schoolgirls he meets at HDB void decks or lift landings (Yahoo! file photo)
Housewife Rozannah Mohd Shah, 33, a Punggol resident and a mother of an eight-year-old girl told Yahoo! SEA that she will now be more careful as long as the molester was on the loose.
“I think that with him on the loose, it is unsafe for my daughter to be alone in the public especially when she goes out to play or to the nearby stores. Maybe because we assume that everywhere in Singapore is safe, parents might take things for granted,” she said.
However, psychiatrist Dr Ang Yong Guan told The Straits times that the molester could have a partner in crime.
“It’s hard to speculate, but he could have had a relationship during the seven years, which distracted him from his pursuit. There might have been no reason for him to be tempted to prey on young girls,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts said that victims of molest might be emotionally affected and traumatized by the incident.
Pyschologist Daniel Koh, who owns Insights Mind Centre, told TNP, “The act is something that invades their security and safety.”
“If molested by someone who is tall and skinny, for example, these children will be afraid to meet another person who fits such a description in the future.”
Mr Koh, who has come across molested children, said they may also become isolated and withdrawn. He added that they may also “feel depressed and feel that they are the one to blame”.
On why the molester would target young girls, Mr Koh said that “they feel the need to be in control, so they will target someone who is weaker than them”.