Student robbed minimart with knife, jotted plans in notebook
A student from a top school robbed a minimart after having carefully planned the robbery in a notebook, including how he was going to get rid of the loot.
The 16-year-old had pleaded guilty earlier this year to the charge of robbery.
Last Wednesday, he was sentenced to 27 months' probation and ordered to stay in the Singapore Boys' Hostel for six months.
He cannot be named as he is under 18.
In the early hours of Feb 14, the student left his home dressed in a dark coloured jacket and wearing a black cap.
He also had a black haversack and knife.
At around 5.20am, he approached the cashier of a minimart in Kembangan, pointing the knife at him and telling him in Mandarin it was a robbery.
The cashier ran to a nearby 24-hour store to get help.
Alone in the shop, the boy tried to open the cash register but found it locked.
CIGARETTES
He then stole 42 packets of cigarettes by putting them in his bag before running out.
He went home and kept his loot inside his bedroom.
But the police traced him to his home in less than a day and arrested him. They recovered the cigarettes and found a notebook with his name and classes written on it.
It contained his plans for the robbery, and showed how he had planned to wear a cap, sunglasses, mask, hoodie, pants and covered shoes.
It also detailed how he would flash the knife, steal the money in the cash register and the cigarettes before escaping.
The boy had planned to sell the stolen cigarettes based on the prices listed in the notebook.
Last Wednesday, his parents were bonded for $5,000 to ensure his good behaviour during the probation period.
For robbery, he could have been jailed for between three and 14 years and given at least 12 strokes of the cane.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
