http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,190639,00.html?
Knife, arrest drama at Thieves' Market
By Veena Bharwani
January 23, 2009
GAWKERS: The arrest drew a crowd of curious onlookers. PICTURE: LIANHE ZAOBAO
IT WAS a simple request that turned into a standoff - an incident during which a knife was allegedly flashed at a government officer.
The drama unfolded in front of passers-by and hawkers at the Sungei Road Thieves' Market on Tuesday morning.
It escalated to a chase in which the officer was threatened with a stick before the police arrived and subdued a suspect who was resisting arrest.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, a National Environment Agency (NEA) officer had asked a man in his 50s to leave the market at 9.30am as he did not have a licence to sell goods there.
The man, who was on a motorcycle with a side carrier, apparently refused to budge even after the NEA officer explained why he couldn't sell goods there.
He became agitated and allegedly fished out a 30cm knife and threatened the officer, said the report.
The officer left so as to not antagonise the man further.
Witnesses said that when the NEA officer returned several minutes later, the man allegedly threatened him again with the knife.
When the officer left and returned for the third time, the man allegedly grabbed a wooden stick and chased the officer for 20 metres.
That was when the police were called in.
A police spokesman said that when approached by six police officers, the man was uncooperative and behaved in a disorderly manner.
'At this juncture, two officers drew their batons and gave warnings to the suspect while another officer drew his Taser stun device as a precautionary measure in case the suspect turned violent,' the spokesman said in an e-mail reply.
Subdued
The officers managed to subdue and arrest the suspect without having to use the taser gun.
A knife was recovered at the scene.
Other hawkers told Lianhe Zaobao that the man appeared about two weeks ago and sold old clothes, shoes and instant noodles.
Since he was an unlicensed hawker, he did not have a permanent spot and kept moving around in the market.
A man was charged with criminal intimidation yesterday.
Knife, arrest drama at Thieves' Market
By Veena Bharwani
January 23, 2009
GAWKERS: The arrest drew a crowd of curious onlookers. PICTURE: LIANHE ZAOBAO
IT WAS a simple request that turned into a standoff - an incident during which a knife was allegedly flashed at a government officer.
The drama unfolded in front of passers-by and hawkers at the Sungei Road Thieves' Market on Tuesday morning.
It escalated to a chase in which the officer was threatened with a stick before the police arrived and subdued a suspect who was resisting arrest.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, a National Environment Agency (NEA) officer had asked a man in his 50s to leave the market at 9.30am as he did not have a licence to sell goods there.
The man, who was on a motorcycle with a side carrier, apparently refused to budge even after the NEA officer explained why he couldn't sell goods there.
He became agitated and allegedly fished out a 30cm knife and threatened the officer, said the report.
The officer left so as to not antagonise the man further.
Witnesses said that when the NEA officer returned several minutes later, the man allegedly threatened him again with the knife.
When the officer left and returned for the third time, the man allegedly grabbed a wooden stick and chased the officer for 20 metres.
That was when the police were called in.
A police spokesman said that when approached by six police officers, the man was uncooperative and behaved in a disorderly manner.
'At this juncture, two officers drew their batons and gave warnings to the suspect while another officer drew his Taser stun device as a precautionary measure in case the suspect turned violent,' the spokesman said in an e-mail reply.
Subdued
The officers managed to subdue and arrest the suspect without having to use the taser gun.
A knife was recovered at the scene.
Other hawkers told Lianhe Zaobao that the man appeared about two weeks ago and sold old clothes, shoes and instant noodles.
Since he was an unlicensed hawker, he did not have a permanent spot and kept moving around in the market.
A man was charged with criminal intimidation yesterday.
