Man kneels and begs to be let go, stabs himself with scissors after alleged theft at Hougang store
Ethel Tseng
TNP
May 26, 2025
At a store selling household items at Hougang Green Shopping Mall, passers-by were shocked to witness a grisly scene of a 45-year-old man stabbing himself with a pair of scissors after being caught stealing items from the store.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) was alerted to a case of alleged shop theft at 21 Hougang Street at around 3.20pm on May 24, 2025.
The man sustained injuries that were believed to be self-inflicted, and was conscious when taken to the hospital.
A 33-year-old store employee told Shin Min Daily News that the man was a frequent customer.
While browsing in the store, the man picked up a radio and several memory cards, but his hands appeared to be empty after walking out of a blind spot.
She checked the CCTV footage and discovered the man placing the items in his bag before leaving the store.
The employee chased after him and found him drinking alcohol nearby, proceeding to bring him back to the store and contact the store owner.
"At first, his behaviour was normal as he waited in the store, but after the owner arrived, he suddenly knelt on the ground, begging to be let go," she recounted.
"Subsequently, he grabbed a pair of unopened scissors, ripped open the packaging, and used the scissors to stab his right hand. He even smeared the blood on himself with his hands, which was a shocking sight for the staff and other customers."
After being sent to the hospital, the police found more items with the man, including many unopened memory cards.
The store employee reported that shortly after the police arrived, medical personnel came to bandage the man's wounds. Afterwards, he left in a wheelchair, escorted by the police.
The police confirmed with Shin Min Daily News that the officers found a 45-year-old man who had self-harmed.
He was conscious when taken to the hospital and was subsequently arrested under the Mental Health Act.
The man is also assisting with ongoing investigations into the case of theft.
