SINGAPORE - A 55-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly robbing elderly female victims in two separate incidents. The arrest was made possible with the help of police CCTV cameras, the police said.

The first case happened on April 30 near Jalan Bukit Merah, and involved a 66-year-old victim; the more recent case occurred on May 17 near Indus Road, River Valley, with the victim a 73-year-old woman. In both cases, the suspect confronted the victims in lifts and pointed a sharp object at them before taking their gold chains.

Officers from Tanglin Police Division went through the footage from the police cameras installed in the vicinity of both crimes, and the suspect was later identified, located and arrested near Indus Road.

Police are advising members of the public to beware of suspicious persons loitering near them, and to avoid ostentatious displays of wealth in public, such as the wearing of expensive jewellery, to avoid falling prey to such criminals.

If found guilty of armed robbery, the suspect faces jail of between two to 10 years and at least 12 strokes of the cane.