Man holds cleaner at knifepoint, takes her hostage in Yishun

SINGAPORE - A 42-year-old man was arrested on Monday morning after taking a 60-year-old woman hostage in Yishun.

The police said they responded to a call for assistance at 7.35am in Yishun Ring Road. A man had allegedly held a woman at knifepoint.

The knife has been seized, said the police.

In a video put up on Facebook, the man can be seen at the void deck of Block 108 Yishun Ring Road holding a knife to the woman's neck as police officers tried to calm him down.

Officers continued negotiating with the man, who then took the woman to a nearby coffee shop at Block 110.

Officers believed to be from the Singapore Police Force's Emergency Response Team (ERT) then arrived at the scene, armed with bulletproof vests and sub-machine guns.

The ERT is a specialised tactical unit that comprises officers handpicked from the seven land divisions.

They are equipped with tactical and counter-assault skills to respond to terror attacks, and cases that involve firearms and dangerous weapons, such as knives.

In the video, the officers can be seen rushing towards the man, pinning him to the ground. A bystander is seen helping out.

The woman sustained minor injuries, but refused to be taken to hospital, said the police.

Based on preliminary investigations, the man and woman do not know each other.

When The Straits Times arrived at the scene at about 11am, it was business as usual at the coffee shop.

Witnesses said the entire situation was resolved by about 10am.

A worker at the coffee shop who did not want to be identified said the victim is a regular who would buy coffee from her every morning with her cousin.

"They were here this morning buying coffee as usual, and she walked away alone as the cousin waited for their order," she said.

"Next thing we knew, we heard someone shouting there was a robbery and people gathered to see what was happening. That's when we saw the man holding the auntie and the police surrounding them."

The coffee shop worker said about 30 people had gathered round when the police told them to disperse.

She said that at around 10am, the woman had fallen to the ground and the police dragged her away from the man while others pinned him down.

She added: "Some coffee shop patrons also stepped forward to help, and the man kept shouting and kicking even while on the ground."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.