The Police have arrested a 29-year-old Bangladeshi man for attempted armed robbery and exhibiting an imitation firearm while committing a scheduled offence after he allegedly threatened to blow up a pawn shop following a failed robbery attempt.
On 28 July 2018 at 4.33pm, the Police received a report that a man, armed with a knife and replica gun, had attempted to rob a pawnshop located outside Boon Lay MRT station before throwing an object that he claimed to be a bomb on the counter. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had demanded the pawnshop staff to hand over cash and jewellery. It is believed that when the staff refused to fulfil his demands, he told the staff that he would blow the pawnshop up with an object that he claimed to be an explosive device. The man subsequently threw the object on the counter before fleeing without taking any items. The said object was immediately thrown out of the pawnshop by the staff who then called the police. No staff were injured.
It was subsequently established that the object only contained some electrical components.
Through follow up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Police Intelligence Department, Special Operations Command and the six Police Land Divisions established the identity of the man and arrested him along Muscat Street on 1 August 2018 at about 7pm.
The man will be charged on 3 August 2018 with attempted armed robbery under Section 393 read with Section 397 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, and exhibiting an imitation firearm when committing a scheduled offence under Section 8 of the Arms Offences Act, Chapter 14. Anyone found guilty of the offence of attempted armed robbery shall be liable to an imprisonment term of not less than two years and not more than seven years, and shall also be punished with caning with not less than 12 strokes. Anyone found guilty of the offence of exhibiting an imitation firearm when committing a scheduled offence shall be liable to an imprisonment term which may extend to 10 years and shall also be punished with caning not less than three strokes.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation & Intelligence) concurrent Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Florence Chua said, “The man went to great lengths to conceal his identity and cover his tracks to evade detection and arrest. As such, this case required meticulous police work and the combined and coordinated efforts of officers from various SPF units, working tirelessly round the clock to pursue all available leads to successfully arrest the man. The man had displayed a blatant disregard of the law in Singapore. The Police will spare no effort in pursuing such criminals and deal with them in accordance with the law.”
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
02 August 2018 @ 12:00 PM