Man, 50, to be charged for allegedly freeing crows, disrupting NParks' trapping operations

A 50-year-old man will be charged in court on Friday (March 6) for allegedly disrupting the National Parks Board’s (NParks) crow population management operations.

The police said on Thursday (March 5) that they were alerted three days ago about a man who had allegedly damaged crow traps at a grass patch near Block 51 Havelock Road on two separate occasions.  

As a result, the trapped crows escaped.

"Through investigations and with the aid of CCTV footage, the identity of the man was established and arrested on March 4," added the police.

He will be charged for two cases of mischief that disrupted a public agency's function.

If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined, or both.

In Singapore, house crows are deemed an invasive species that pose a threat to native biodiversity. The highly intelligent species is protective of its young and can attack upon sensing threats.

The Municipal Services Office received about 15,000 reports on crow-related issues in 2025, triple that of 2020, when there were nearly 5,000 reports. These include complaints about noise, feeding and soiling.

Complaints about crow attacks also rose to over 2,000 cases in 2025, compared with more than 460 in 2020.

The authorities have since announced that the shooting of crows will resume from the second half of March after a six-year hiatus, as alternative methods like using traps and the removing of nests have been inadequate to control their population.

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