Passers-by pin down knife-wielding jewellery thief who snatched gold ornaments in Hong Kong in broad daylight
- Man intercepted after running about 300 metres from store on Castle Peak Road in Cheung Sha Wan
A knife-wielding robber was intercepted and subdued by passers-by after fleeing from a jewellery shop with gold ornaments in Hong Kong on Friday.
The hold-up occurred at a store on Castle Peak Road in Cheung Sha Wan just after 10.30am, according to police.
A police spokesman said the suspect grabbed the ornaments and ran from the shop after threatening staff with a knife. An employee gave chase, shouting for help.
After running about 300 metres, the man was intercepted by passers-by on Un Chau Street before traffic police officers arrived. The man was pinned to the floor and handcuffed.
The spokesman said no casualties were reported in the incident.
He said officers were determining what valuables were taken and checking whether all stolen items were recovered. Detectives from the Sham Shui Po criminal investigation squad were handling the case.
Reports of robbery in Hong Kong have been on the rise with police patrolling manpower stretched by the need to handle ongoing anti-government protests that have been rocking the city since June.
Police handled 28 reports of robbery in October – almost one a day, up from one every two to three days in 2018.
Since August, local police have stopped patrolling the streets on foot because of fears of being attacked by radical protesters. Officers now patrol in vans instead.
Months of social unrest were triggered by a proposed extradition bill that would have allowed the transfer of criminal suspects to face trial in mainland China. The bill has since been withdrawn.
As of December 16, police had arrested more than 6,100 people for protest-related offences, including rioting, unlawful assembly, arson and weapons possession.
