ISMAIL Shaikh Ahmad walked into a United Overseas Bank (UOB) branch in City Plaza last month and threatened to blow up the place if the bank teller did not put money inside a bag.

Clad in a grey shirt, long trousers and with a scarf covering his head, the 45-year-old pointed at his paper bag and told the teller that there was a bomb inside.

He handed two pieces of paper to bank teller Ow Soon Hock, 46, and told him 'not to be a hero, I am desperate, put all the money inside the bag within three minutes, or else I will activate the bomb through my handphone'.

Ismail was seen behaving suspiciously when he walked into the Geylang Road premises at about 3.30pm on Nov 10 with a green paper bag that he later put on the counter.

Mr Ow handed the two notes to the duty manager. Meanwhile, auxiliary police officer Rosli Mohamad Sa'ad, 45, decided to check on Ismail, who then shouted at him in English: 'Don't be a hero.'

When the Certis Cisco officer saw Ismail thrusting his left hand into the paper bag, he dashed forward and pinned down the robber.

Ismail put up a violent struggle and was subdued by Mr Ow and two other colleagues who came forward to help.

He was subsequently detained and handed over to the police.

One of the notes handed over by Ismail said his father would activate the bomb if he did not get out of the bank within three minutes. The other said he was desperate and that the bomb was 'highly explosive' and could 'kill a lot'.

The paper bag hid a plastic container, a bottle of air freshener attached to a voltmeter, and a circuit board taped together with white masking tape.

In a district court yesterday, Ismail pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and taking morphine. Pleading for another chance, he told the court that he committed the offence out of desperation after his business lost money.

He has previous convictions for drug consumption and burglary. Sentencing was postponed to Dec 31 pending a preventive detention report.

elena@sph.com.sg