Indian-origin man charged with Singapore petrol pump robbery

A 48-year-old man of Indian origin was charged on Wednesday for robbing a petrol station here at knifepoint in broad daylight, the first such incident in 10 years, police said on Wednesday.

Visvanathan Vadivelu allegedly robbed a Shell outlet in Upper Bukit Timah Road of $1,193 Singapore dollars ($877) in cash on Monday and fled on a scooter, the Strait Times reported.

He threatened an employee at the petrol kiosk with a kitchen knife and ordered her to place money from the cash register in a plastic bag, the report said. Vadivelu was wearing a helmet, a pair of sunglasses and gloves at the time of robbery, said police officials.

Vadivelu was later arrested and charged with committing armed robbery.

About $500 in cash, bank receipts and a scooter were seized by the police. If found guilty, Vadivelu faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail and at least 12 strokes of caning.

He was remanded without bail and his next hearing will be held next week. On Tuesday, another armed robbery took place at a Western Union branch in Ubi.

--IANS

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