Police arrest 2 men planning bank robbery with air pistol

SINGAPORE - Police have arrested 2 men, both aged 30, for unlawful possession of an air pistol. It is believed that one of the men had intended to rob a bank using the air pistol, which was a replica of a Beretta pistol.

At about 10.50pm on October 15, a bag containing a set of clothing; a pair of shoes; gloves; cable ties; a face mask and the air pistol, was found within a dry riser of a HDB block at Yishun Central 1.

Police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) established the identities of the 2 suspects on October 16. By midnight, both suspects were tracked down and arrested in Serangoon Gardens and Sembawang Close.

It is believed that one of the suspects had left the bag in the dry riser with the intention of committing robbery at a bank located in the vicinity as he was heavily in debt. He had also informed the other suspect of his plan.

One of the suspects will be charged in court on Saturday for the unlawful possession of a weapon. If found guilty, he could face between 5 to 10 years in jail, as well as a minimum of 6 strokes of the cane.

Investigations against the other suspect are ongoing.