Crimewatch at 30: Speedy red-light surprise
Crimewatch celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this month. SHAFFIQ ALKHATIB (ashaffiq@sph.com.sg) speaks to people who have contributed to making S'pore's longest running docudrama a success
He expected the shoot to take all day when he was asked last year to film a segment on new roadside cameras used to catch errant motorists.
To Superintendent (Supt) Julius Lim's surprise, he had to stand at Gambas Avenue in Sembawang for only a few minutes before several heavy vehicles were captured beating the red light.
The current English Crimewatch presenter said: "They broke the law even after the crew had set up signs saying that Crimewatch filming was in progress. We had our shot in just one take.
"This incident reminds me how important it is for the police to be aggressive in our outreach efforts."
Supt Lim, 31, who is married with two young daughters, joined the Singapore Police Force in 2004.
The senior assistant director of the Ministry of Home Affairs' joint operations group started hosting Crimewatch seven years later.
Since then, he has become a popular public figure. Supt Lim told The New Paper that in 2014, he was even recognised by a Myanmar national waiter in Kuala Lumpur.
With a smile, he said: "The waiter had never been to Singapore, but he found out about Crimewatch after his friend liked its Facebook page.
"The waiter decided to visit the page and soon became a Crimewatch fan."
Supt Lim and his family now make it a point to stay at home on the last Sunday of every month to watch Crimewatch.
He said: "My then-fiancee - now wife - and I had spent many date nights watching the programme together. We now watch it with our girls, and they are always excited to see their papa on TV."
'When were you released?'
Turn on the TV to watch Crimewatch and you'll spot him acting as one of the bad guys.
Mr Maguire Jian, 43, is the founder of events company A Lucas Events and is a part-time actor, and he is so well known for his villainous roles that strangers have approached him on the street many times.
He said: "Old people and young children have come up to me to ask if I had just been released from jail.
"Sometimes, I will play along for a laugh. I guess they don't know the difference between reality and the roles I play in a show."
The bachelor started acting in Crimewatch in the late 90s and has appeared in more than 10 episodes.
He agreed to act in the programme as he felt it was his civic duty to do so.
His most memorable role was in 2013, when he played an armed robber in Buona Vista.
He said: "I often study my roles carefully to see why the criminals acted the way they did.
"By acting as this robber, I was shocked that somebody could be so violent towards another human being just to get hold of some cash."
The episode aired on July 21 that year.
Cracking a huge grin, he said: "I am actually a joker in real life and I am nothing like the bad guys I play."
Gangsters caught after pilot episode
He knew Crimewatch was going to be a success shortly after the first episode was aired on Nov 30, 1986.
Tip-offs lead to the arrest of nine secret society members, said former Criminal Investigation Department director Jagjit Singh (right), 76.
Now retired after serving in the Singapore Police Force from 1967 to 2000, Mr Singh said Crimewatch was the brainchild of the then-director of the Police Academy Teo Hong Guan.
Mr Teo had gone to Canada for a police management course in the mid-80s and he saw a similar programme there. His proposal for a show was accepted by the authorities here.
Mr Singh then took charge.
The grandfather-of-two said: "Crimewatch has been very successful with a viewership of some 1.2 million people an episode. It is consistently among the top 10 TV programmes."
Cases solved, thanks to Crimewatch
1 On Aug 30, 1986, full-time national serviceman Alan Ng, 19, was found beaten to death at the foot of Block 455, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.
After the first Crimewatch episode on Nov 30 that year, viewers called officers with important tip-offs.
Nine teenage secret society members were caught.
2 Mr Tong Beng Wah, 43, died after he was found with severe head injuries at a Duxton Road pub in July 1999.
One man was arrested, but four others managed to get away.
After a Sept 29 episode aired with their names and photos, the men surrendered to the police.
3 Mr Krishnan Sengal Rajah, 44, was walking along Dunlop Street in Little India around 10.40pm on June 30, 2001, when he was attacked. The man, who could not speak or hear, later died.
After a Dec 26 episode, an anonymous call led to the arrest of a crane operator.
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