SINGAPORE: Three Chinese nationals were arrested after they allegedly robbed a 45-year-old woman, then locked her and her child on the balcony of Marina Bay Sands hotel on Monday (June 1).
In a statement on Tuesday (June 2), police said that they were alerted to an incident at about 7pm along Bayfront Avenue, where the hotel is located.
The three men are aged between 29 and 34.
Preliminary investigations showed that the woman had become acquainted with a person claiming to offer foreign currency exchange services through a messaging platform.
She agreed to exchange S$50,000 in cash to foreign currency, and for the exchanged amount to be deposited into her bank e-wallet.
The victim, accompanied by her child and acting on instructions given by the person she had been speaking with, brought the cash to the vicinity of Bayfront Avenue.
She then met a man who brought her to a hotel room, where a second man was waiting in the bathroom.
When she took out the cash, one of the men allegedly restrained her by the neck and demanded that she hand over the money.
The victim and her child were later locked in the room’s balcony. They sustained minor injuries from the incident.
Police established the men’s identities through follow-up investigations, and found that they had boarded a flight from Changi Airport bound for Shanghai.
The aircraft was subsequently recalled to the gate and the men were arrested.
Cash amounting to about $50,000 was recovered and seized as a case exhibit.
The three men are expected to be charged in court on June 3 with the offence of robbery with hurt.
If convicted, they could face a jail term of between five and 20 years, as well as up to 12 strokes of the cane.
The police advised members of the public who encounter such situations to remain calm, take note of the physical appearance and distinctive features of the perpetrator, and call the police as soon as possible.
“Members of the public are also advised to exercise caution when engaging in currency exchange arrangements with unknown parties, particularly those conducted through social media or messaging platforms, and to always use licensed money changers for such transactions,” they added. - The Straits Times/ANN
