SINGAPORE - A 16-year-old teenager was arrested for his suspected involvement in loan-shark harassment, the police said on Thursday night (Jan 9).

He is the fifth teen known to have been arrested in eight days over similar offences.

The police said they were alerted to a case of loan-shark harassment on Tuesday where the door of a residential unit along Flora Road was splashed with red paint and debtors' notes were left behind.

The home is understood to be a condominium unit.

The teenager was arrested on Thursday and is believed to be involved in similar cases reported islandwide.

He was charged on Friday under the Moneylenders Act, the police said.

This comes on the back of other loan-shark harassment cases that have happened over the past two weeks.

Two other teenagers, both understood to be aged 14, were arrested on Tuesday and another two men, aged 22 and 24, were arrested on Wednesday.

Earlier, another two teenagers, aged 16 and 19, were arrested on Jan 2.

First-time offenders found guilty of loan-shark harassment face fines of $5,000 to $50,000, jail of up to five years and up to six strokes of the cane.

The police said they have "zero tolerance" for such loan-shark harassment activities.

"Those who deliberately vandalise properties, cause annoyance and disruptions to public safety, peace and security, will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law," they said.