On the morning of December 21, 2025, a security incident occurred at St Joseph’s Church located at 620 Upper Bukit Timah. The police were initially alerted to the situation at approximately 7:10am. The emergency call triggered a significant mobilization of resources, involving both the Singapore Police Force and specialized units from the Singapore Armed Forces.
The alarm was raised after an unattended bag was discovered on the church premises shortly before the scheduled 7:30am Chinese mass. In response, authorities acted with high levels of precaution. The church grounds were secured, and the building was evacuated to ensure the safety of all congregants and staff. Because the nature of the object was initially unknown, the Singapore Armed Forces’ Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group was called to the scene to conduct a specialized assessment.
By 9:00am, a heavy police presence was established at the entrance of the church, with officers actively directing vehicles away and preventing anyone from entering the premises. Church volunteers stationed themselves at the main gates and nearby bus stops to inform arriving attendees that services had been cancelled. These volunteers redirected people to St Mary’s of the Angels Church in Bukit Batok as an alternative for their morning worship.
As the morning progressed, several specialized vehicles from the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force were seen entering the grounds. Plainclothes officers were also observed conducting investigations. The official website of St Joseph’s Church confirmed that mass services scheduled for 7:30am, 9:30am, and 11:30am were cancelled until further notice.
At approximately 11:08am, the police provided a significant update following thorough checks by the explosives defence team. It was concluded that the suspicious item was harmless. Despite the item being cleared, police operations remained ongoing at the site to ensure the area was entirely safe before reopening. Members of the public were strongly advised to avoid the location while these final procedures were completed.
Government officials commented on the situation, urging the public to remain composed. Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Dinesh Vasu Dash called for unity and calm within the community. Similarly, Alex Yam, the Mayor of the North West district, praised the resilience of the St Joseph’s community. He noted that while it was prudent to take every precaution and follow the instructions of the authorities, the community should not be overcome by fear. He reminded the public that the church has faced challenges before and has consistently emerged stronger and more united.
The priest of the church, Father Christopher Lee, issued a message apologizing for the inconvenience and advising his congregation to seek mass at other nearby churches. This incident follows a previous traumatic event at the same church in November 2024, when Father Lee was attacked by a man with a knife during an evening service. In that instance, the congregation had intervened to disarm the attacker before police arrived.
This recent alert at St Joseph’s Church also follows a pattern of suspicious incidents at places of worship in Singapore. In September, a mosque in Serangoon North had to be evacuated after a suspicious parcel was delivered, which was later found to contain meat. Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam has previously commented on the need for places of worship to remain open and welcoming while maintaining sensible security arrangements, cautioning against turning these community spaces into fortresses.
The authorities continue to encourage vigilance among the public. Anyone with information regarding the incident at Upper Bukit Timah is asked to contact the police via their hotline or the i-Witness online portal. All information provided to the authorities will be handled with strict confidentiality. For now, the situation at St Joseph’s Church is under control, and the harmless nature of the item has provided relief to the community, though the church remains under temporary closure for the completion of police operations.
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