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Man charged with alleged failed robbery at Boon Lay pawnshop claims he was drunk

SINGAPORE — A 29-year-old former construction worker accused of attempting to rob a pawnshop outside Boon Lay MRT station, then threatening to blow it up, was charged in court on Friday (Aug 3).

The suspect involved in the botched robbery attempt of a pawnshop near Boon Lay MRT station was brought back to the crime scene on Thursday (Aug 2) by officers from the Singapore Police Force.

The suspect involved in the botched robbery attempt of a pawnshop near Boon Lay MRT station was brought back to the crime scene on Thursday (Aug 2) by officers from the Singapore Police Force.

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SINGAPORE — A 29-year-old former construction worker accused of attempting to rob a pawnshop outside Boon Lay MRT station, then threatening to blow it up, was charged in court on Friday (Aug 3).

Claiming he was drunk, Bangladeshi national Sheikh Md Razan said: “I did not show (the pawnshop people) any knife or gun, but I only showed them the bomb."

Sheikh, who has been an overstayer since December last year, faces one charge each of attempted armed robbery and exhibiting an imitation firearm.

Court documents showed that he committed the alleged botched robbery on Saturday (July 28) at 4.33pm.

He is said to have put the ValueMax pawnshop’s branch manager, Mr Ng Yah Ching, 48, in fear of bodily harm by being armed with a cleaver that had a 21cm-long blade while trying to rob the pawnshop. He also purportedly showed Mr Ng a black gun-like object.

At a press conference on Thursday, the police said it is believed that he had told the staff he would blow up the pawnshop with an explosive device when they refused to heed his demands to hand over cash and jewellery.

The man then threw the object on the counter before fleeing without taking any items. It was subsequently found to contain only some electrical components.

After supposedly committing the offence, he went to a Housing and Development Board block in Jurong West to discard a backpack that he had stuffed his clothing in, including the pink turban that he used to conceal his identity.

He hid the backpack behind some potted plants outside a resident's house, and it was discovered by the resident a few hours after the offence was committed. The resident — a full-time national serviceman — alerted the police.

Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Intelligence Department, Special Operations Command, as well as six Police Land Divisions were involved in the manhunt to track him down, through investigations and images from police cameras.

He was arrested at about 7pm on Wednesday along Muscat Street near Sultan Mosque, after going on the run for five days. TODAY understands he lives in the area.

On Thursday afternoon, police officers led Sheikh to ValueMax to re-enact his alleged offence. He then took the police to a dustbin along a narrow pathway, a minute's walk from the pawnshop. He claimed that he had dumped the replica gun — which he told officers was assembled from spare plastic parts — in the bin.

A police officer was seen removing the bin's cover, but could not find the replica gun. Investigations on its whereabouts are ongoing.

Sheikh will next return to court on Aug 10. No bail was offered.

If convicted of attempted armed robbery, Sheikh could be jailed for between two and seven years, and given at least 12 strokes of the cane.

If convicted of exhibiting an imitation firearm when committing a scheduled offence, he could be jailed for up to 10 years and given at least three strokes of the cane.

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