SINGAPORE – A 24-year-old man who tried to rob a cashier at a 24-hour supermarket in Choa Chu Kang by pointing a metal rod at the employee was charged in court on April 15.

Harry Chia Yin Xiang faces one charge of attempting to commit robbery, over the incident which took place at U-Star Supermarket in Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7 at around 3.10am on April 14.

The amount of money he demanded was not disclosed in court documents.

In a statement on April 14, the police said the cashier did not accede to Chia’s demand and the latter left the supermarket. A police report was lodged at 3.15am.

Through inquiries and with the aid of images from police cameras, police officers identified and arrested the man within two hours of receiving the report, the police said. The metal rod was seized.

Chia is being remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for a medical examination, the court heard.

Those convicted of attempted robbery can be jailed for two to seven years and receive at least six strokes of the cane.