On January 11, a 15-year-old was arrested after attempting to rob a steamed bun shop at Elias Mall in Pasir Ris, Singapore. The incident took place along Elias Road and was reported to the police at 6.05pm.
During the attempted robbery, a 56-year-old woman who was in the shop sustained minor injuries and was immediately taken to the hospital, The Straits Times reported.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force responded to a call for assistance at 6.10pm and transferred the victim promptly to Changi General Hospital.
According to the owner of the Bao Baby shop, Mr. Chen, the teenager initially entered the store and gave the impression that he wanted to purchase some steamed buns. However, he suddenly pulled out a sharp object and gestured towards the cash register.
“While we were still trying to figure out what he wanted, he suddenly took out a sharp object, said something that we didn’t understand, and then pointed to the cash register,” the shop owner added.
Due to a language barrier, Mr. and Mrs. Chen decided to try and calm the youth down using hand gestures. They even agreed to comply with his demands in order to ensure their safety.
But just as Mr. Chen was about to open the cash register, a passer-by walked by and Mrs. Chen screamed, urging her husband not to surrender the money. Startled by the presence of others outside the shop, the teenager became frightened and threw his weapon at the couple before fleeing the scene.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the youth turned around and saw that there were people outside the shop. He was probably frightened because he threw his weapon at us and fled, said Mr Chen.
Unfortunately, the thrown object accidentally hit Mrs. Chen, causing a 5cm injury to her chest. The police found a shoe nearby, believed to have been worn by the young suspect during the incident.
Following the incident, a 15-year-old male teenager was arrested by the police in connection to the attempted robbery.
The investigation is currently ongoing.
The bravery of the passer-by and the quick thinking of Mr. and Mrs. Chen helped prevent the situation from escalating further. The police urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to ensure the safety of the community.
Images via Shin Min Daily News
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