Robber out on bail stole from 2 women
Published 01.07.2015
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent
While out on bail for robbery, an interior designer went to a woman's home, made her strip, molested her and took photos of her.
Tan Choon Keap also forced her to undress her co-tenant, whom he bound and photographed as well. He robbed them of about $18,000.
Tan, 34, was yesterday convicted of robbing three Chinese nationals of cash and valuables totalling $22,648. He committed the first robbery on Oct 25, 2013.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jason Chua, who proceeded on five of 13 charges, said a 24-year-old prostitute from China received a call from Tan for sexual services on Oct 24.
He wore military fatigues and a motorcycle helmet to conceal his identity. He robbed her of $1,950 at knifepoint. He asked her for sex but she refused. She performed oral sex on him while he was lying on the bed with two knives by his side.
He then tied her up in the toilet and robbed her of two cellphones worth $1,798 before leaving.
While out on bail, he re-offended. On Nov 3 last year, he hired a 29-year-old stall assistant and part-time masseuse for a massage. He arrived at her home wearing a cap and surgical mask.
While she was massaging him, he asked her for sex. She refused, but agreed to remove her top on the condition that he did not touch her. He later held a knife to her neck, pushed her to the bed and sat on top of her. He gagged her and robbed her of $4,000, lying that he needed money for his son's operation. He also tied her wrists and ankles with cable ties and blindfolded her while he ransacked her room.
He pulled down her panties and took photos of her with his cellphone, threatening to post them on the Internet if she made a police report. He then molested her.
Mr Chua said Tan also robbed the victim's co-tenant, a 21-year-old student, of $4,000, and similarly tied her up and blindfolded her. He took $10,000 from her luggage.
Two days later, he was arrested at the Resorts World Sentosa casino. Tan, represented by Mr John Abraham, will be back in court on Aug 4.
