Man went on shopping spree after allegedly stealing over $500k
After he allegedly assaulted two men and robbed them of $365,000 with the help of an accomplice on Monday (9 April), Mohd Abdul Rahman Mohamad began “luxury hotel hopping” in Sentosa and the Orchard area the next day, said the police.
The 36-year-old also went on a shopping spree with friends, buying some $80,000 worth of luxury items such as branded shoes, jewellery and a Rolex watch worth $45,800 for his ex-wife, Yogeshwry Raman. This item was later discovered hidden in a container of washing powder at the 33-year-old woman’s home.
After an extensive investigation, Abdul Rahman – who is unemployed – was arrested in the lobby of Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort and Spa on Tuesday. His accomplice, 36-year-old private hire driver Syed Mokhtar bin Syed Yusope, had been detained the day before at Woodlands Checkpoint, and $5,000 in stolen cash was recovered from him.
More than half a million stolen
The assault and theft on Monday was not Abdul Rahman’s first alleged offence: he was already suspected of breaking into a house along Chuan Walk on 7 March and stealing some $150,000 in cash and valuables.
At a media briefing at the Police Cantonment Complex on Thursday morning, Assistant Commissioner of Police Arthur Law said investigations showed that the two victims of Monday’s assault – one Malaysian and the other Singaporean – were bitcoin brokers. Syed Mokhtar had posed as a prospective seller as a pretext for meeting them.
The victims were left with facial injuries after Abdul Rahman and Syed Mokhtar assaulted and robbed them at a hotel in the Bugis area. “To us, it’s quite unusual for someone to carry such a large amount of cash,” said Law, who is also commander of Central Police Division.
Along with the purchased luxury items, some $14,000 in cash has been recovered from the two suspects. The police are still working to recover the rest of the money.
Abdul Rahman was charged in court with robbery with hurt and housebreaking and theft on Thursday (12 April). If convicted of the first offence, he could be jailed up to 20 years and will be given at least 12 strokes of the cane. The second offence carries a penalty of up to 14 years in jail.
Syed Mokhtar was charged in court on Wednesday with robbery with hurt. Yogeshwry Raman has also been charged with dishonestly receiving stolen property.
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