SINGAPORE (The New Paper) - Last Saturday (June 20), a 24-year-old Singaporean man tried to escape from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), snatching the revolver of the police officer who tried to stop him in the process.

The man, who was arrested for motor vehicle theft the day before, was under escort to KTPH after complaining of chest pains.

Police officers escorting accused persons are armed with the .38 Taurus revolver. Here are three reasons why it is tough to remove the gun from an officer's holster.

1. The revolver is a housed in a snatch-resistant holster moulded to the gun. The gun can only be drawn vertically. This makes it difficult, though not impossible, to forcibly yank the revolver out during a struggle.

2. A buckle over the cocking hammer prevents the gun from being fired while partially in the holster. As long as the cocking hammer cannot be pulled back, the loading chamber is unable to rotate and the gun cannot fire.

3. All guns are further secured with a rubber lanyard which is secured to the butt of the revolver and the belt.