Man assaulted and robbed of S$8,000 One Piece trading cards; three teens arrested

Three teenagers aged between 15 and 17 have been arrested for their suspected involvement in a robbery with hurt case in MacPherson, where a 34-year-old man was allegedly assaulted and robbed of trading cards worth about S$8,000, police said.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said officers were alerted to the incident along Balam Road at about 1.10am on 6 March.

Preliminary investigations showed the teenagers had allegedly arranged to meet the victim under the pretext of purchasing One Piece trading cards before assaulting him and stealing the items.

The victim sustained minor injuries and was conveyed conscious to hospital.

According to an SPF news release on 8 March, officers from Bedok Police Division identified the suspects through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from police cameras and CCTV footage.

The three teenagers were arrested within 16 hours of the report, and the stolen items were subsequently recovered.

Police said a 17-year-old male teenager was charged in court on March 9 with robbery with hurt under Section 394 of the Penal Code 1871.

If convicted, the offence carries an imprisonment term of not less than five years and not more than 20 years, as well as caning of at least 12 strokes.

The two other teenagers are assisting with ongoing investigations.

In its statement, the SPF said it would not tolerate such crimes.

“The Police will not tolerate such brazen acts of crime and will spare no effort to apprehend such offenders and deal with them in accordance with the law,” the statement said.

Police also advised members of the public who encounter such incidents to remain calm, take note of the suspect’s physical appearance and distinctive features, and notify authorities as soon as possible.