Man armed with chopper flees after failed attempt to rob Bedok pawn shop

SINGAPORE: A man wielding a chopper fled the scene after a failed attempt to rob a ValueMax pawn shop in Bedok on Friday (Jul 12).

Police said they were alerted to a case of attempted robbery at about 1.55pm at Block 213 Bedok North Street 1.

According to the pawn shop manager, who wanted to be known only as Mr Choo, the man entered the shop wearing a mask and holding a kitchen chopper. 

He slammed the chopper on the glass display case, but the weapon broke into two pieces, said the manager, who is in his 60s.  

The man then picked up the broken pieces of the chopper and fled. This all happened in the span of five minutes, said the manager. 

He added that the man, who was wearing gloves and dressed in dark clothing, looked to be in his 40s and is of “average height”.

“We have insurance, so we’re not afraid of robberies. We’re just afraid that he would use the knife to hack at people,” said Mr Choo, speaking in Mandarin.

When CNA visited the scene on Friday afternoon, four to five police officers were seen talking to passers-by.

Workers at the neighbouring shops said they were not aware of the incident until police arrived and onlookers started gathering in front of the pawn shop.

An employee at a Bengawan Solo outlet next to the pawn shop estimated that the police were in the area for one to two hours.

Another employee at a different shop – who declined to give her name – said she only realised something had happened when she saw a large number of police officers after lunch.

Speaking in Mandarin, she said: “(It) scared me to death! (Since) there’re only two women (in our shop).”

Police said investigations are ongoing.

In August last year, a 29-year-old Bangladeshi man attempted to rob a ValueMax pawn shop outside Boon Lay MRT station. He fled the scene after throwing an object on the counter which he claimed was a bomb. 

The man was arrested a few days after the incident.