Hours after it starts, Hong Kong jewellery fair hit with two thefts worth more than HK$500,000
A necklace and two bags of pearls, worth more than HK$500,000 in total, were stolen in two thefts reported on the first day of the international jewellery show in Hong Kong yesterday, according to police.
The thefts transpired at the AsiaWorld-Expo venue of the annual Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair in Lantau.
The first case happened about four hours after the show opened yesterday. Staff from one exhibitor found a female visitor from the mainland stealing a necklace worth US$60,000 from a booth at about 2pm. Staff gave chase when the woman left the booth, according to police.
“Officers on site intercepted the woman and recovered the stolen property. The 23-year-old woman was arrested for theft,” a police spokesman said.
About an hour later, police received the other report of theft after two bags of pearls, worth HK$60,000, were stolen from another booth.
Police are treating the case as theft, and detectives from the New Territories South regional crime unit are investigating.
Separately yesterday, a suspected thief from the mainland was arrested in possession of a fake diamond that police believed she intended to swap for a real gem less than an hour before the show opened.
READ MORE: Mainland Chinese woman arrested with fake diamond 'she planned to swap for real one' at Hong Kong jewellery show
The woman, 42, who arrived from Henan province on Tuesday, was stopped and searched by police after she was found acting suspiciously at a registration booth at 9.40am. She was arrested on suspicion of going equipped for stealing.
At noon, a male visitor from the mainland was intercepted by police after he was found acting suspiciously at another registration booth. He was arrested on suspicion of uttering forged documents after some bogus name cards were found on him.
Security measures this year had already been strengthened as all visitors are now required to present a valid photo identity document for on-site identity verification before entering the hall, according to AsiaWorld-Expo Management Limited.
The seven-day jewellery show is being held at two venues – AsiaWorld-Expo at Hong Kong International Airport and the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
The AsiaWorld-Expo segment, which will run until Sunday, showcases raw materials including diamonds, loose gemstones and pearls, along with equipment and packaging. The Wan Chai event, which runs from tomorrow until Tuesday, highlights finished products.
More than 3,700 exhibitors from 50 countries are taking part in the two events.
Hong Kong’s jewellery shows are no strangers to crime.
Three months ago, diamonds and other jewels worth more than HK$5 million were stolen in 12 thefts on the first day of a jewellery show at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. Seven visitors from the mainland – five women and two men – were arrested in connection with some of the cases.
In March, four female visitors from the mainland were arrested after two three-carat diamonds worth about HK$1.5 million in total were swapped with fakes in two separate booths at the city’s International Jewellery Show, also at AsiaWorld-Expo.
