Man remanded after wielding knife, trying to snatch baby in Penang supermarket

A Vietnamese man has been remanded by police in Penang after attempting to snatch a baby while fleeing from a supermarket. 

The incident occurred on Saturday (Aug 9) at around 12.45pm in Butterworth, reported the New Straits Times (NST).

The suspect, a 36-year-old Vietnamese man, was spotted by a supermarket employee after he tried to leave without paying for several bags of weighed seafood items.

Though the employee intervened and managed to catch him, the suspect later broke free and even brandished a knife, NST reported.

A video of the incident has gone viral, showing the suspect allegedly snatching an 11-month-old baby from the mother and holding a knife to the child in a bid to avoid arrest.

Passers-by and staff members at the supermarket subsequently intervened to overpower the suspect and free the child, after which he was handed over to the authorities.

"The suspect tested negative for drugs, and he has no prior record," Assistant Commissioner Anuar Abd Rahman said.

According to AC Anuar, the suspect will be remanded until Aug 13 to facilitate investigations.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com