A ROBBER who attacked an elderly man with a screwdriver ended up being caught by the victim's son and neighbours on Monday

The 36-year-old suspect broke into the fifth floor HDB flat at Bukit Purmei at 9.40am by climbing in from the sitting room window. When he saw the 76-year-old man in the sitting room, he started attacking him with a screwdriver.

The victim's son, who heard the commotion, rushed out from his bedroom and saw his father being assaulted.

He immediately called the police.

By then, the suspect had climbed out of the window and tried to escape by walking along the narrow ledge on the outer wall leading to the common corridor of the staircase landing beside the victim's flat.

On seeing this, the elderly man and his son rushed out to catch him.

The pair then shouted for help, which attracted the attention of three neighbours.

Together, the five managed to pull the suspect over the parapet and restrained him until the police arrived.

The suspect, a Singaporean, will be charged in court on Wednesday.

Commander of Central Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Lau Peet Meng commended the three men who came to the help of the father and son, and encouraged all Singaporeans to help look out for one another.

'Good neighbourliness and strong public spiritedness is indeed a way we fight crime and keep Singapore safe and secure,' he said.