Police have arrested a 23 year-old man who is believed to be responsible for two cases of armed robbery at Commonwealth Avenue estate which were committed one after the other on the same night.

On 29 Jan 2010 at about 12.25 am , the first victim, a 54 year-old man, was walking along the pathway towards Block 4 Holland Close when the suspect, who was walking towards him in the opposite direction, suddenly whipped out a knife and demanded that he hand over his money. The victim managed to flee from the suspect without handing over anything and immediately called for the Police.

Police officers from Clementi Police Division sprung into action and responded swiftly to the scene. While attending to the first victim, Police were informed of another case of Armed Robbery at Commonwealth Avenue involving a male suspect whose description was similar to that of the perpetrator in the first victim's case. The second victim, a 47 year-old taxi driver, had picked up the suspect at the taxi stand in front of Holland Road Shopping Centre and was directed to go to Commonwealth Crescent Housing estate. During the journey, the suspect, who sat in the rear left passenger seat, took out a knife and demanded that the victim hand over his valuables. Out of fear, the victim handed over cash amounting to $100 to the suspect. The suspect then fled on foot towards an unknown direction.

Following extensive enquiries and follow-up investigations, the responding officers managed to established the identity of the suspect . On 30 Jan 2010 at about 2.55am , the suspect was arrested in the vicinity of Holland Shopping Centre. Cash amounting to $250.00 dollars and a 28 cm long knife which was believed to have been used in the commission of the offence were recovered from the suspect's possession.

The suspect will be charged in Court on 30 Jan 2010 for the offence of Armed Robbery under Section 392 and Sec 397 of the Penal Code Chapter 224, which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years imprisonment and caning not less than 12 strokes.

Commander of Clementi Police Division HQ, Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) Ng Yeow Boon, commended his officers for their good investigative work which resulted in the arrest of the suspect. He reiterated that the police will spare no efforts to track down the perpetrators of such crimes and bring them to justice.