HK$1.9m stolen from jailed horse trainer Brian Kan’s home

More than HK$1.9 million in luxury watches, rings and cash has been stolen from the Sheung Shui home of five-time champion horse trainer Brian Kan Ping-chee, who is currently serving a jail sentence.

Police were called to his home in Castle Peak Road at about 10pm on Monday, after a family member returned home and discovered the break-in.

A ground-floor window had been pried open and a safe broken open and emptied, police said.

An initial investigation found five rings worth about HK$1.2 million and two watches worth about HK$660,000 were stolen from the safe, along with HK$50,000 in local and foreign currency, a police spokesman said.

Police mounted a search but arrested nobody. Crime-squad officers are still investigating.

The former racehorse trainer was convicted in November last year on one count of engaging in corrupt conduct during an election last year. He offered HK$130,000 to a village representative, to vote for him in a rural committee election.

Kan had spent about a month in custody before he was released on bail pending appeal. Last month his new bail application was rejected and he was ordered to serve a 14-week jail sentence. Kan, a powerful figure in the New Territories, lost the election.

Kan went to Britain in his 20s and joined the Hong Kong Jockey Club after returning in 1969. He went on to become a champion trainer with five Hong Kong Derby winners.