Man, 67, charged with attempting to rob Bedok pawnshop with chopper

SINGAPORE — A 67-year-old man was charged on Monday (July 15) with attempting to rob a pawn shop close to Bedok Interchange, while armed with a chopper.

Omar Abdullah was arrested in Yishun on Saturday, about 32 hours after he allegedly failed to rob a ValueMax pawnshop at Block 213 Bedok North Street 1.

If convicted of attempted armed robbery, Omar could be jailed up to seven years. While the charge carries mandatory caning of at least 12 strokes, those above 50 cannot be caned by law.

Omar will return to court on July 27, and has been remanded in the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric observation.

According to court documents, Omar used a chopper to try to smash a jewellery glass display case at the ValueMax pawnshop in Bedok on Friday.

Shop staff told TODAY that a man wearing a mask and gloves entered with the weapon in hand, but fled empty-handed when he could not break open glass cabinets containing gold bracelets.

ValueMax’s manager, Mr Choo Yong Chang, said that the man slammed the chopper on one of the shop’s glass cabinets but said nothing. 

When he failed in his attempt, he ran off after five to 10 minutes.

No one was injured.

Following ground enquiries and with the aid of images from police cameras, Bedok Police Division officers identified the suspect and arrested him on Saturday along Yishun Street 22.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police and Commander of Bedok Police Division, Julius Lim, said the man had taken great pains to conceal his identity by covering his face with a surgical mask.

The man had also changed his clothing multiple times after fleeing the scene.

About a year ago, another man was similarly charged with attempting to rob a ValueMax pawnshop in Boon Lay. 

Bangladeshi national Sheikh Md Razan was allegedly armed with a cleaver and threatened to blow the shop up, but ultimately failed. His case is still pending before the courts.