An 81-year-old man fought off a gang of teenagers who tried to rob him in Tseung Kwan O on Sunday.
Police arrested eight teenagers, aged between 15 and 19, after the attack. Several had cuts and minor injuries from fighting the elderly man.
The attack led to calls for a police crackdown on gangs in Tseung Kwan O, where youth crime is on the rise.
The elderly man was walking in a tunnel near Fu Ning Garden when the youths attacked him from behind. They pushed him to the ground and tried to steal his belongings, but he fought back and they fled, police said. Police followed a trail of blood left by their wounds to a flat 200 metres away in Ming Tak Estate, arresting five youths and three girls.
A girl, 16, a boy, 15, and a 19-year-old youth were taken to Tseung Kwan O Hospital with minor injuries. The elderly man also suffered a head injury.
Sai Kung district councillor Chan Kai-wai said police should step up patrols in the area. 'Women and old people are easy prey,' Chan said. 'Pedestrian subways are the most dangerous places. People should avoid them at night.'