Police have arrested a 27-year-old who dashed out of a Woodlands jewellery store clutching five bars of gold.

The incident happened on Friday night, at about 9.13pm. The suspect entered the shop at a shopping mall in the vicinity of Woodlands Square on the pretext of buying gold bars for investment.

After viewing the items offered to him by a female staff, he bolted from the shop after handing over a debit card to her. Officers from Jurong Police Division tracked down the suspect and arrested him on Saturday morning.

The offence of Theft in Dwelling carries a maximum jail term of seven years imprisonment, and a fine.