On July 21, 2025, 26-year-old Singaporean Harry Chia Yin Xiang was sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to multiple offenses, including an attempted robbery, harassment of enforcement officers, and unlawful possession of a weapon. The attempted robbery occurred on April 14, 2024, at around 3am in a convenience store in Choa Chu Kang.
According to court documents, Chia initially entered the store to purchase cigarettes, only to realise he lacked sufficient funds. After calling his grandmother to ask for money and being rejected, Chia was overcome with frustration and made a desperate decision. Feeling that his grandmother did not care about him and believing it might be better to get arrested, he devised a plan to commit a robbery.
Upon entering the store, he first attempted to steal a bottle of green tea but was stopped by the 53-year-old cashier, who kindly said he would not report Chia if the drink was returned. Chia complied but returned shortly after with a metal rod, which he then pressed against the cashier’s neck. He demanded access to the cash register, but the calm and composed cashier informed him that it could only be opened with a purchase and pointed out that CCTV cameras were recording their interaction.
Realising he was being recorded and possibly discouraged by the cashier’s composure, Chia ultimately left the store. The police were alerted, and within two hours of the report, Chia was located and arrested.
However, this incident was not Chia’s only brush with the law. In another incident on August 18, 2023, Chia was approached by two auxiliary police officers near Tiong Bahru Plaza after he was caught littering a lit cigarette. When the officers requested his identity and issued a “notice to attend court,” Chia took the notice, threw it away in their presence, made an obscene hand gesture, and hurled vulgarities before walking off.
Chia’s final charge was related to an incident on March 14, 2024, when he was found in possession of a knuckleduster in Yishun during the early morning hours. Chia claimed that he carried the weapon due to a tense relationship with certain colleagues whom he alleged were gang members. He had arranged to meet them at that location for a work-related dispute. When police arrived, no confrontation had occurred yet. He further told the authorities that he had purchased the knuckleduster when he was 13 years old but could not recall where he obtained it.
For these three separate incidents, Chia was convicted on one count of attempted robbery, one count of harassment, and one count of possessing a scheduled weapon. The court sentenced him to two years and six months’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane. The case highlights both the importance of vigilance among frontline workers and the dangers posed by individuals who attempt to resolve personal struggles through criminal means.
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