Online Marketplace Armed Robber’s Crime Spree Put To An End

Police have arrested a 42-year-old man who is believed to have committed a series of armed robberies targeting victims who advertised their mobile phones for sale through an online marketplace.

In December 2011, a 27-year-old victim advertised his intention to sell his mobile phone on the website. On 27 December 2011 at about 1pm, the victim received a call from an unknown man who indicated his interest to make the purchase.

Following some negotiations, the victim agreed to meet up with the man at Blk 333 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 at about 4pm on the same day. The victim then was brought up the block on the pretext of collecting payment from the suspect’s residence. Upon reaching the upper floor, the man confronted the victim at knife point and robbed him of cash, his mobile phone and jewellery worth a total of about $10,000.

Upon receiving the report, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division conducted extensive enquiries and investigative probes. An in-depth analysis was also carried out and potential victims selling mobile phones online whom the suspect might have targeted were identified, contacted and alerted.

While the investigations were on-going, a similar case was reported on 28 December 2011 at about 6.40pm in the vicinity of Blk 588 Woodlands Drive 16. Investigations into this case disclosed that the suspect was driving a vehicle with a false car registration number. Noting the similarities in both cases, the officers probed deeper and established that the cases were likely to have been committed by the same suspect.

On the same day at about 9pm, the officers received a call from one potential victim they had alerted earlier who informed that he was contacted by an unknown man who had arranged for a meet up in the vicinity of Tampines over the sale of his handphone. The officers immediately sprang into action and mounted a stakeout in the vicinity.

Shortly after, the same vehicle believed to be used by the suspect in the second case was spotted near Blk 135 Rivervale Drive. Through good planning and coordination, the officers cornered the suspect and placed him under arrest. Three mobile phones believed to be stolen, a knife, prepaid phone cards and the vehicle were seized from the suspect for the purpose of investigations.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is involved in the two reported cases of robbery and is believed to have targeted more than 15 victims in his crime spree. In addition, investigations indicated that he is separately believed to have committed a case of break-in at a clinic in Pasir Ris Estate that occurred in early December 2011, where cough mixture was stolen.

The suspect will be charged in Court on 30 December 2011 for an offence of Armed Robbery under Section 392 read with Section 397 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224. If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 14 years and shall be liable to caning of not less than 12 strokes.

ORIGINAL SOURCE
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