In a dramatic twist yesterday afternoon, Police uncovered a ploy by a 19- year-old youth who had conspired with 2 other youths to rob his friend at Blk 633 Punggol Drive, while pretending to be a victim himself.

On 29 September 2010 at about 1.05pm , the victim, an 18-year-old male youth, informed the Police that he had been robbed by two unknown men at Blk 633 Punggol Drive. The victim was in a car driven by his 19-year-old friend, and they were travelling along Punggol Drive when two unknown men flagged down the car requesting for a lift. Upon boarding the car, the two suspects suddenly grabbed the victim by his neck and threatened to harm his friend unless they were given cash. Out of fear, the victim handed over his wallet to the two suspects and was also made to withdraw cash amounting to $2,100 from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in the vicinity. The suspects then alighted from the car and fled towards an unknown direction with the money.

Through follow-up investigations, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division had reason to believe that the victim’s 19-year-old male friend had staged the robbery with the 2 suspects and immediately placed him under arrest. The remaining two suspects were subsequently arrested at their residences in the Simei area by 3.30pm that day and the stolen items were successfully recovered.

The three suspects will be charged in Court on 1 October 2010 for the offence of Robbery with Common Intention under Section 392 read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, which carries a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years and caning of not less than six strokes.

Commander of Ang Mo Kio Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Hsu Sin Yun, commended his officers’ investigative acumen and swift follow-up in apprehending all the suspects.