Man charged with armed robbery in which woman's handbag was taken
The paper cutter (right) used by the suspect in his attempt to rob a woman of her handbag (left). PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
Published Feb 22, 2016, 1:19 pm SGT
Amir Hussain
SINGAPORE - A 51-year-old woman was walking along Jurong West Street 65 at about2 pm on Saturday (Feb 20) when a robber armed with a penknife took her branded handbag and ran away.
But two foreign workers heard the woman's shouts for help and detained the suspect after a chase.
On Monday (Feb 22), Thillainathan Karthigesan, 48, a Singaporean, was charged with armed robbery with a deadly weapon.
He is accused of committing the robbery just before 2pm. Inside the Bonia handbag, which he allegedly took, was a S$200 Bonia wallet, a $350 Xiaomi mobile phone and $60 in cash.
In a statement on Sunday (Feb 21), the police commended the two foreign workers, Mr Li Hong Yi and Mr Yu Yin Soon.
Jurong Police Division commander Koh Wei Keong said: "This case illustrates the close partnership between the police and the community in fighting crime."
"Mr Li and Mr Yu have played an important role in the arrest, and their selflessness and public-spiritedness are indeed commendable."
The police also advised members of the public to avoid wearing too much jewellery and carrying large amounts of cash or valuables, and to avoid dark, quiet and secluded places.
Members of the public should also be alert of their surroundings at all times. When confronted, they should remain calm and take note of the suspect's appearance, clothing, height and other physical description.
They should also take note of the suspect's direction and mode of escape, and call '999' as soon as it is safe to do so.
If convicted of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, Thillainathan Karthigesan faces between two and 10 years' jail, with at least 12 strokes of the cane.
