FOUR youths became unlikely heroes when they stopped an armed snatch thief targetting two elderly people on Wednesday evening.

At 7pm on Wednesday evening, a 75-year-old lady was walking along Ang Mo Kio St 44 when a Chinese man came from behind and snatched away her handbag containing a mobile phone and $200 cash.

Her shouts for help caught the attention of Wee Sin Wei and Gary Toh, two 14-year-old NPCC cadets returning home from Deyi Secondary School, who started to chase after the suspect.

The man suddenly whipped around with a penknife and Mr Wee was nicked on the collarbone, but the boys continued the chase.

19-year-old Joel Ang, the cadet inspector of the two students and 30-year-old technical specialist, Edmund Tang, joined the pursuit.

The suspect was eventually subdued in front of Block 434 Ang Mo Kio St 43 after a 500m chase when Mr Tang blocked his way and tripped him, at the cost of a cut to the right arm.

The suspect was then handed over to the Police and all the stolen property was recovered.

A penknife with a 6-cm-long blade was also seized.

Mr Wee was given first aid by responding officers, while Mr Tang was conveyed to hospital but his condition is stable.

The suspect is believed to have attempted to rob a 69-year-old Chinese man at knife-point at the lift of Blk 557 Ang Mo Kio St 54 an hour earlier but had given up and ran away after the victim claimed he had no money.

The 54-year-old suspect will be charged in court on Friday.

If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 7 years and shall be liable to caning.

Superintendent Lee Chin Ek, Commander of Ang Mo Kio Police Division, commended the four members of public for their bravery and public spiritedness in apprehending the suspect.