Armed mainland criminals brought to Hong Kong to prey on rich car owners in Repulse Bay were too wary of the crowds to rob anyone. When the armed robbers staked out the Repulse Bay beach car park last December, they decided there were too many people around. After a failed second attempt, the gang's mastermind gave up on robbery to try burglary instead, the Court of First Instance heard. But even then, 29-year-old Ngan Cheung-lap failed to make any cash. In one Tai Tam burglary on January 13, he fled with only a couple of hundred Hong Kong dollars because the Western victim woke up. Mr Justice Mohammed Saied jailed Ngan for 11 years yesterday after he admitted two counts of conspiracy to rob and two counts of burglary. Ngan and three other mainlanders sneaked into Hong Kong by high-speed boat last December 'to make money together'. A local connection armed them with two guns - one a replica - and taught them how to use it. Prosecutor Mary Sin said the gang abandoned its plans because of the crowds.