Man charged over minimart robbery attempt while armed with knife, wearing a dress
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Closed-circuit television footage showed that Mahmoud Abdeltawwab Riad Abdelhak was wearing a dress when he allegedly tried to rob the store clerk.
PHOTOS: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
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SINGAPORE – A man wearing a dress allegedly tried to rob a minimart with a knife but took off empty-handed when the store clerk shouted for help.
On Monday, Mahmoud Abdeltawwab Riad Abdelhak, 38, an Egyptian and a Singapore permanent resident, was handed one charge of attempting to commit robbery. His case has been adjourned to July 24.
The police said on Monday that they were alerted to a case of attempted robbery at a minimart in Lorong 1 Toa Payoh at around 8.10am on Saturday.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage showed that Mahmoud was wearing a dress during the incident, and the store clerk was manning the minimart alone.
Mahmoud left the store when the clerk shouted for help.
Through ground inquiries and with the aid of footage from CCTV and police cameras, officers from Tanglin Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him within five hours of the report.
A black long-sleeved dress, headscarves and arm sleeves were seized.
“We will spare no effort to arrest those who commit violent crimes,” said the police. “When confronted with a robbery, members of the public are advised to remain calm, take note of the physical appearance and distinctive features of the perpetrator, and call the police as soon as possible.”
Those convicted of attempted robbery may face a jail term of between two and seven years, and at least six strokes of the cane.
