SINGAPORE: A man and a teenager were charged in court on Monday (Nov 20) with conspiring to rob a man who tried to use S$81,060 in cash to trade for crypto tokens.
Firdaus Muhammad Abdul Aziz, a 33-year-old Singaporean, is accused of abetting a 16-year-old boy so that the boy robbed the victim of the money.
The boy was given a similar charge over the alleged robbery that took place between 11am and 2pm on Nov 19, at Block 199A, Punggol Field. He cannot be named under the Children and Young Persons Act as he is under 18.
According to a police news release, the 33-year-old victim received an offer from a stranger on Telegram to trade crypto tokens for cash.
On the instructions of the stranger, the victim met up with the 16-year-old to hand over cash amounting to S$81,060. The teenager allegedly fled with the cash while counting it.
The victim gave chase and stopped the teen. The boy took out a kitchen knife, but dropped it, the police said.
He was detained with the help of two men and a woman, and was arrested by the police. The cash was fully recovered.
Police later identified and arrested two men who are believed to be linked to the case – Firdaus and a 27-year-old man. Police investigations against the 27-year-old man are ongoing.
Firdaus and the teenager were remanded for investigations, with permission to be taken to the scene of the incident. They will return to court on Nov 27.
If convicted of robbery, a person can be jailed for between two and 10 years and given at least six strokes of the cane.
The police advised people against carrying large amounts of cash in public.
“When confronted in a robbery, members of the public should remain calm, take note of the physical appearance and distinctive features of the perpetrator, and call for the police as soon as possible,” said the police.