The suspect was ambushed by police officers at 6.10pm along Marine Terrace and was immediately nabbed. Upon his arrest, a pen knife and cash amounting to about $300 were recovered.

According to a police statement released, the first robbery case took place on Saturday at about 8.30pm at a convenience store located at Blk 27A Chai Chee Road.

The suspect immediately went behind the counter upon entering and pointed a pen knife at the cashier. He then pinned the cashier against the wall and ordered him to squat down. Following this, the suspect opened the cash register and fled with cash of about $600.

In the second case, the suspect entered another convenience store at 194 Joo Chiat Road at about 7.50am on Sunday. He walked up to the cashier on the pretext of buying some sweets.

After making his payment, the suspect brandished a pen knife at the cashier and demanded the latter hand over the cash in the register. When told by the cashier that the cash register's alarm would be set off if opened, the suspect fled.

An hour later, the suspect entered a third convenience store at Blk 537 Bedok North Street 3 and tried to distract the female cashier by making some enquiries. He then suddenly barged behind the counter and pointed a pen knife at her abdominal.

After demanding that the cashier open the cash register, the suspect removed all the cash which amounted to about $400 and fled in a taxi.

Lookout messages with the suspect's descriptions were sent out by the police to all taxi companies.

At about 10.45am, the police were informed that a Chinese man fitting the description of the suspect had been picked up at Bedok North Street 3 and later alighted at Marine Terrace.

Police, coupled with assistance from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), managed to identify and trace the suspect from the lead.

A fourth case of armed robbery was reported on Sunday at about 6pm at another convenience store at Blk 55 Chai Chee Street. The suspect had entered the store and robbed the cashier at knife point of cash of about $300.

The suspect will be charged in court on Dec 23 for armed robbery. If found guilty, he could be jailed between 3 and 14 years and caned at least 12 strokes.