Singapore reminds children of stranger danger amid reports of clowns loitering outside schools
- The incidents are alleged to involve a speech academy which employed clowns to advertise its classes as part of a publicity campaign
- The academy has apologised, but clarified its clowns did ‘not offer any form of monetary rewards for children to follow them’
The police said multiple reports had been lodged. It advised members of the public to stay away from strangers and to report any suspicious persons or activities to the police.
“The police are verifying the facts with an education centre on their alleged involvement in the incidents. Police investigations are ongoing,” it said, without naming the education centre.
A parent said his wife and daughter, who is in Primary Two, were approached by one such clown outside a primary school in the eastern suburb of Tampines on September 15.
Muhd Armin, 37, said the man who was wearing a clown hat and clown mask, gave his wife a flyer from Speech Academy Asia, and encouraged her to sign her daughter up for public speaking classes.
“If she wanted to sign up, there was a form to fill up but my wife said that she would consider it and then just went home,” he said.
Whoever is doing what I assume to be some viral marketing nonsense, stop it