SINGAPORE, July 21, 2025 – A man who cursed at National Environment Agency (NEA) officers after discarding a lit cigarette later attempted to rob a convenience store cashier with a metal rod, believing arrest was a better option.
Chia Yin Xiang Harry, 26, received a sentence of two-and-a-half years in jail and 12 strokes of the cane on Monday. Six strokes were for the attempted robbery with extortion, and another six were for possessing a knuckleduster. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, weapon possession, and using abusive language against a public servant, with two other charges considered.
Chia was outside Tiong Bahru Plaza on the morning of Aug. 18, 2023, when NEA-attached auxiliary police officers spotted him throwing a lit cigarette. When asked for his identification to check for previous offenses, Chia responded dismissively. After an officer issued a notice to attend court, Chia questioned his ability to pay fines, cursed, and destroyed the notice in front of the officers. He then gestured with his middle finger and continued his verbal abuse, questioning the officers’ constant checks. A police report was filed after he left.
The court heard that on March 14 of the previous year, police responded to a report of a man with a knuckleduster in Yishun. Officers found Chia with the weapon and he stated he carried it due to issues with colleagues he identified as gang members. He claimed to have arranged to meet them at Block 306, Yishun Central, over a work dispute, though the meeting had not occurred upon police arrival. Chia also mentioned buying the weapon at age 13 but couldn’t recall where.
### A Desperate Act for Cigarettes
A month later, on the night of April 13, 2024, Chia met a friend in Choa Chu Kang. After spending time together until 2 a.m., Chia realized he lacked funds for cigarettes. His grandmother refused his request for money, leading him to feel neglected and believe that getting arrested would be a preferable outcome.
He entered the UStars Convenience Store at Block 810B, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7, around 2:45 a.m. He initially told the 53-year-old cashier he had stolen a bottle of green tea, and the cashier indicated no action would be taken if it was returned. Chia then left and returned with a metal rod, holding it to the cashier’s neck and demanding the cash register be opened.
The cashier explained that the register could only be opened with a purchase. When Chia again demanded money, the cashier pointed out the store’s CCTV cameras. Unconcerned, Chia persisted until the cashier convinced him to leave. A police report followed this incident.
The prosecution emphasized Chia’s “complete lack of regard for lawful authority” during the NEA encounter, arguing for the two-and-a-half-year sentence and 12 strokes of the cane.
