Last Week in Viral News
We take a look back at the local news that spread like wildfire.
Feb 27, Sat Two middle-aged men are driving through Yuen Long when they get stuck in traffic and get into an argument. The argument escalates into a fight, as one driver gets the other in a headlock and starts punching him in the head. The other driver pushes him to the ground, kicking him. The pair ends up grappling on the ground with no clear winner, and the fight lasts around three minutes before the two break apart. Police arrive to investigate the incident, but the drivers both agree not to take further legal action.
Feb 28, Sun A 42-year-old man appears in court charged with the theft of 41 bottles of shampoo from a supermarket. He had stuffed them into three bags and his backpack before leaving the store. A staff member chased after him, causing him to abandon the shampoo and flee, but he was caught and charged. He pleads guilty to theft and is sentenced to four months in prison. He explains that he had intended to sell the shampoo in Shenzhen.
Feb 29, Mon At around 7am, an Apple Daily reader is on her way to work when she sees a nude man on Nathan Road in Mong Kok. He is doing planks and taking photos of himself with a camera on a timer. She suggests it might be some kind of performance art piece. The man leaves after around 10 minutes.
Mar 1, Tue A netizen posts a picture of what appears to be a fire truck parked in front of an auto repair shop in Chai Wan. Oriental Daily reporters discover that the truck appears to have scraped against something, causing damage to the wheels and stripping the paint from the truck’s door. They are told that a few firemen brought the truck to the shop and paid the repair fees themselves, before taking it back to the fire department. This is a violation of internal regulations, as damage to government vehicles must be reported to the police.
Mar 2, Wed At around 6am, a man in his 40s is looking at newspapers at a 7-Eleven in Yau Ma Tei. He stealthily slips a pornographic magazine worth $58 into a newspaper worth $7 before buying the paper and leaving the store. A staff member discovers the theft and chases after the thief. The man drops his bag as he flees, and police discover his identity card in the bag.
Mar 3, Thu A 25-year old man gets a phone call from someone who claims to be a Chinese law enforcement agent. The agent tells him to call two other agents, who say that there are criminal charges pending against him—but they will be dropped if he transfers RMB8,000 to a mainland Chinese bank account. The man transfers the money, but later he reports the incident to the police. Police believe the case is a phone scam, and investigations are underway.
Mar 4, Fri In the afternoon, nine people being tried for drug charges at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts simultaneously report that they are feeling unwell. They are rushed to the hospital, and when they arrive one shouts “We did this on purpose! Why are we refused bail for an ounce of meth? You released the rioters on bail!” He asks reporters at the hospital to help plead their case.
