South American professionals working in groups, say police
More than 100 international jewel thieves from South America are in Hong Kong, targeting the city's annual jewellery show, police say.
The warning came as police arrested nine South American men in connection with four separate thefts within a week. Four of the arrests came as the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show opened yesterday.
Crime syndicates from Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela are active both inside and outside the show at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, a police source said, adding that the suit-wearing thieves work in groups of three or four.
'Outside the venue, they target jewellery exhibitors moving packages of diamonds, pearls or other valuables from hotels to the venue,' the source said.
'They sometimes wait for their prey in hotel lobbies or coffee shops in Wan Chai, Central and Tsim Sha Tsui.'
