Ex-auxiliary police officer admits carrying loaded revolver to mall, intended to kill himself after breakup
Heng Jun Hao was "devastated" by his breakup, and felt he had disappointed his ex-girlfriend and family with his gambling habits and debts.
The Certis auxiliary police officer was allegedly armed with a Taurus revolver while he was at the fifth floor of the Bugis+ mall in Singapore. (Images: Singapore Police Force, Google Street View)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide.
SINGAPORE: An auxiliary police officer who was arrested for illegally carrying a loaded revolver to a few malls had gone to watch a movie with the weapon and intended to kill himself after.
Heng Jun Hao, 29, had just gone through a breakup and felt devastated. After he was charged, he was released on bail with an electronic tag, but he cut the tag as he wanted to drown himself after losing his job.
The Singaporean, who has been remanded since October 2024, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (Oct 28) to one count of unlawfully carrying a revolver and 10 rounds of ammunition under the Arms Offences Act and a second charge of mischief for cutting his e-tag.
Another two charges will be considered in sentencing.
The court heard that Heng joined Certis Cisco Security as an auxiliary police officer in October 2023 and was attached to the Civil Aviation Authority Singapore at Changi Airport.
Heng had been gambling since he was 20, and his habit worsened over the years.
On May 8, 2024, Heng's girlfriend broke up with him after finding out that he had been gambling despite promising that he would quit.
Heng was devastated over the breakup. The next day, he reported for work at the Agora building at Changi Airport Terminal 1 and was issued with his operational equipment at the Certis Cisco armoury.
This included one .38 Taurus revolver, 10 rounds of .38 ammunition and one extendable baton.
As part of standard operational procedure, Heng loaded five rounds of ammunition into his revolver and loaded the remaining five rounds into his speed loader. He was then deployed for his shift from 7.45am to 7.45pm.
After finishing his shift, Heng returned to the Agora building and told his partner that he needed to use the washroom as he had a stomach ache.
Inside the washroom, Heng removed his loaded revolver, as well as the speed loader and baton from his holster and utility belt, before placing these items in his backpack.
He left the washroom and took a taxi to Sim Lim Square.
Heng walked around Sim Lim Square, Bugis Junction and Bugis+ before deciding to watch a movie at the Bugis+ cinema at about 9.30pm.
At about 8.35pm, an automated system alert had been sent to Certis Cisco, as Heng had failed to return his revolver more than a certain fixed period after his shift had ended.
Certis personnel were deployed to search for Heng but could not find him. After verifying that his revolver was still unaccounted for, the Certis operations manager alerted the police at about 9.55pm.
POLICE LAUNCH MANHUNT
More than 100 officers were deployed in a manhunt for Heng.
At about 12.20am the next day, Heng left the cinema after his movie ended. Police officers spotted him along Victoria Street and arrested him. The weapon and the accompanying items were found on him.
During investigations, Heng admitted that he had taken the revolver and ammunition because he intended to kill himself with it.
He felt that he had disappointed his family and girlfriend with his gambling habits and debts, and he "saw no reason in living since he had failed everyone he loved".
Heng said he had decided to watch a movie as he needed time to decide on his suicide plan.
After his arrest, Heng was released on court bail in June 2024 with electronic tagging as one of his bail conditions. He also had to stay with his parents.
Certis said in a statement to the media after Heng was charged in May last year that he had been suspended from service pending further police investigations.
On Oct 17, 2024, the police were notified that Heng had cut his e-tag based on an alert from the e-tag monitoring system.
Heng was spotted and arrested by plainclothes police officers at Decathlon Singapore Lab in Kallang at about 4pm that day.
He admitted to investigators that he had cut the tag with scissors at home because he wanted to evade police tracking and drown himself in the sea.
He intended to do so because he had financial troubles after losing his job as a concierge at Paya Lebar Quarter Mall on Oct 14, 2024.
The case was adjourned for mitigation and sentencing.
For unlawful possession of any arm or ammunition, he could be jailed for between five and 14 years and given at least six strokes of the cane.
For mischief by cutting the e-tag, he could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.
