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Jail for man who posed as police officer to steal camera equipment, S$1,200 in cash

SINGAPORE — A 41-year-old man was sentenced to seven weeks’ jail on Monday (April 5) for posing as a police officer to steal more than S$3,000 in cash and camera equipment from a car, after threatening to arrest the driver.

Muhammad Arshad Muhammad Umar was sentenced to seven weeks’ jail on Monday (April 5) for posing as a police officer to steal more than S$3,000 in cash and camera equipment from a car.

Muhammad Arshad Muhammad Umar was sentenced to seven weeks’ jail on Monday (April 5) for posing as a police officer to steal more than S$3,000 in cash and camera equipment from a car.

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SINGAPORE — A 41-year-old man was sentenced to seven weeks’ jail on Monday (April 5) for posing as a police officer to steal more than S$3,000 in cash and camera equipment from a car, after threatening to arrest the driver.

Muhammad Arshad Muhammad Umar pleaded guilty to one charge each of impersonating a public servant and theft. The Singaporean will begin serving his sentence on Tuesday.

The court heard that his American victim, Mr Craig James Dimmick, was driving along Wilkie Road in the Orchard area on Nov 5 in 2018, in an attempt to find a route to Mount Emily Road.

As there was no space for him to stop along the main road, he stopped at the Wilkie Apartments complex, then alighted to smoke and look for a way to his destination.

At about 8.10am, Arshad approached the 60-year-old investment manager and shouted that he was a police officer. He also said he would arrest Mr Dimmick.

When the other man asked why and requested for his police identification, Arshad took out a card from his front breast pocket. The card was attached to a dark blue lanyard, with “Police” written on it in white letters.

The card was actually a private security identification card. 

Arshad then flashed it at Mr Dimmick in a “rapid motion” with his fingers covering the card, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Huo Jiongrui.

When Mr Dimmick said he could not see the card’s contents, Arshad responded that he would arrest him. He then yelled: “Back up, come” when a private-hire Grab driver walked into the apartment compound.

Mr Dimmick said he would call the police, to which Arshad said: “I am the police, go ahead, call, call, call.”

He proceeded to block Mr Dimmick from entering his car and closing the driver’s door.

As the victim called the police, Arshad opened the rear passenger door and stole the other man’s camera bag. It contained a Nikon D90 DSLR camera with a zoom lens, another lens and other equipment such as a camera battery and SD card.

He also took S$1,200 in cash, left the apartment compound and fled the scene.

He was arrested about two weeks later, and has made full restitution.

For impersonating a public servant, he could have been jailed for up to two years or fined, or both.

For theft, he could have been jailed for up to three years or fined, or punished with both.

Related topics

theft impersonation court crime

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