Two Hong Kong taxi drivers robbed in 45 minutes as one man asks for directions while another snatches bag from the back
- Police source says it is likely crimes are linked given similarity in method
- Incidents happened 2.5km apart in Chai Wan and Shau Kei Wan, with second driver losing HK$2,500
Two taxi drivers each had a bag stolen in the space of 45 minutes in Hong Kong’s Eastern district in the early hours of Friday, with one losing HK$2,500 (US$320).
A police source said it was likely the crimes were linked given the similarity in methods. In both cases, one man asked the driver for directions while another snatched the bag. Both robbers were thought to be aged 20.
The first incident happened at 2.09am when a taxi stopped outside Walton Estate in Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan.
The driver, 67, surnamed Chan, said he lowered the window of the left front door as a man approached and asked for directions.
“When I was checking the location with my phone, another man opened the rear door and jumped into my cab. I thought he wanted to hire. Suddenly, he snatched my bag and escaped,” Chan said.
The pair fled before officers arrived. According to police, the bag carried a bank book.
As officers were searching the area, a second theft was reported at 2.54am in which another taxi driver, 56, had his waist bag stolen in Shau Kei Wan. It was about 2.5km away from the site of the Chai Wan crime scene.
The second driver, surnamed Tai said two men stopped his cab at 333 Shau Kei Wan Road and his waist bag carrying HK$2,500 was stolen while he was distracted.
“One of the men asked for directions and the other opened the door and snatched my bag,” he said.
Tai gave chase but lost his footing. He suffered minor injuries and was bandaged at the scene.
Eastern police district are handling both cases, with no arrests made yet.
