§ 453 — Possession of house-breaking implements or offensive weapons

453.—(1) Any person who is found —(a)

armed with any instrument for shooting, stabbing or cutting, or any instrument which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, without lawful authority or a lawful purpose;

(b)

having his face covered or otherwise found disguised with intent to commit any offence; or

(c)

equipped with any article or instrument for use in the course of or in connection with any house‑breaking,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years, or with fine, or with both; and any instrument or article, mentioned in paragraph (a) or (c), found in the possession of that person shall be forfeited.

[15/2019]

(2) In any prosecution for an offence under subsection (1)(a), it is sufficient for the prosecution to allege and prove that the accused was found to be armed with any instrument mentioned in paragraph (a) and the burden is then on the accused to show that he had lawful authority or a lawful purpose to be so armed.[15/2019]

(3) An article or instrument is presumed to be carried with lawful authority if it is carried by —(a)

any member of the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force, the Singapore Civil Defence Force or any auxiliary police force created under any written law;

(b)

a forensic specialist or law enforcement officer acting in the course of his duty as such in accordance with the Police Force Act 2004;[Act 43 of 2024 wef 24/03/2025]

(c)

any visiting force lawfully present in Singapore under the provisions of any law relating to visiting forces; or

(d)

any person as part of his official or ceremonial dress on any official or ceremonial occasion.[15/2019]

—(1) Any person who is found —(a)

armed with any instrument for shooting, stabbing or cutting, or any instrument which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, without lawful authority or a lawful purpose;

(b)

having his face covered or otherwise found disguised with intent to commit any offence; or

(c)

equipped with any article or instrument for use in the course of or in connection with any house‑breaking,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years, or with fine, or with both; and any instrument or article, mentioned in paragraph (a) or (c), found in the possession of that person shall be forfeited.

[15/2019]

(2) In any prosecution for an offence under subsection (1)(a), it is sufficient for the prosecution to allege and prove that the accused was found to be armed with any instrument mentioned in paragraph (a) and the burden is then on the accused to show that he had lawful authority or a lawful purpose to be so armed.[15/2019]

(3) An article or instrument is presumed to be carried with lawful authority if it is carried by —(a)

any member of the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force, the Singapore Civil Defence Force or any auxiliary police force created under any written law;

(b)

a forensic specialist or law enforcement officer acting in the course of his duty as such in accordance with the Police Force Act 2004;[Act 43 of 2024 wef 24/03/2025]

(c)

any visiting force lawfully present in Singapore under the provisions of any law relating to visiting forces; or

(d)

any person as part of his official or ceremonial dress on any official or ceremonial occasion.[15/2019]