SINGAPORE - A 57-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly attempting to rob a woman with a knife at HDB Hub in Toa Payoh, injuring her hand.

The police said on Tuesday night that they responded to a call for assistance at Lorong 6 Toa Payoh at around 11am on Monday.

The woman, 48, was at her vehicle in the carpark when the stranger reportedly approached her from behind and demanded that she get in.

He is said to have assaulted her using the knife in the ensuing confrontation.

“The woman sustained a laceration on her right hand, scratch marks on her stomach and abrasions on her right arm,” said the police.

She was conscious when taken to hospital and is in stable condition. She did not suffer any monetary loss.

When The Straits Times arrived at the scene at around 3pm on Monday, the carpark at HDB Hub was relatively full of cars and there were no signs of a scuffle. 

A passerby who had been there at around 1.30pm told The Straits Times he saw blood on the ground of the basement 1 carpark.

“I saw at least two police cars and around 10 police officers as I was turning out of the carpark,” he said.

The police said they were able to identify the man and arrest him within 24 hours of a report being made, through ground enquiries and the aid of surveillance cameras.

Deputy Commander of Tanglin Police Division Teo Yee Lay commended the officers for solving the case quickly: “The police managed to track down the man swiftly and prevent him from harming others.

“The police will spare no effort to arrest those who commit violent crimes.”

When confronted with a robbery, the police urged members of the public to remain calm, take note of the perpetrator’s distinctive features and call the police as soon as possible.