Free foot pics? Not in this economy.
In a bizarre case, the police are investigating a woman’s report about an alleged foot fetish incident that happened at the Singapore Botanic Gardens last week.
A man had approached the woman, who was on her own at the park, claiming to be from the People’s Association (PA).
He told her about a campaign for an event organized by the Youth Corps, which is the volunteering arm of the National Youth Council.
He proceeded to ask if she could write inspirational words on her foot with a marker for a photo that would be part of the promotional materials for the event.
While taking photos, he touched her foot to “adjust” it, which then made her feel uncomfortable. On top of that she noticed that he seemed to be taking a video instead of a photo.
As if the situation could not get weirder, the man even asked if he could be friends with her.
Uncovered foot fraud
The woman immediately contacted the police to report the incident. Soon after, she also found out from the PA that the event he talked about did not exist.
The incident occurred on Apr. 17 but the police are still investigating the case.
A PA spokesperson said that the organization’s staff carry official passes with their names and if in doubt, members of the public can request to see their identification.
On top of that, the spokesperson also confirmed that the organization does not have any programmes with the Youth Corps – especially ones involving feet.
The rise of feet crime
As if we didn’t have enough to be on our toes about, there have been several other cases of feet-related crime in Singapore.
Most of the cases have involved someone pretending to represent a charity event or organization needing help.
A foot fetish, or podophilia, is a condition in which feet, legs, stockings, shoes, or socks, cause a person to become sexually aroused – and can be considered as a disorder.
Last year, a man was jailed for claiming to be from the ‘Barefoot Walking Society’ and asking to take a picture of his victim’s feet. He also had a history of foot-fetish incidents involving several other women.
Keep your feet to yourselves, ask for identification, and say no to free feet pics.
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