At a glance

The estimated market size of the cleaning industry in Singapore is about 300 million Singapore dollars yearly and it is expected to grow at about 27 percent over the next five years, the ministry said. However, its growth was hampered by its poor image and lack of training opportunities.

Polite8217; Mercedes thieves
KUALA LUMPUR: Two polite armed robbers who specialise in stealing Mercedes cars but give their victims thetaxi fare home have struck again in Malaysia, a report said Wednesday.

They intercepted a businessman as he was unlocking his Mercedes in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Petaling Jaya on Monday, The Sun newspaper said. It quoted the victim as saying in his police report that the pair chatted with him quot;as if they were newfound friendsquot; as he drove to a secluded spot at gunpoint. The robbers stole a mobile phone, an expensive watch, cash and the 300,000 Ringgit car but gave the businessman 50 Ringgit for cab fare.

Previous victims described the pair as always polite and said they returned some money for cab fare. In one case the chivalrous robbers returned an expensive handbag with the contents intact to a businesswoman but kept her car.