Five arrested over HK$2.8 million watch robbery, as Hong Kong protests stretch police
- The men, aged 19 to 33, have been accused of being part of a syndicate linked to the robbery
- Police official says force has the capacity for normal duties despite ongoing protests stretching resources
Police arrested five men on Thursday over an armed robbery in December during which 48 watches worth HK$2.8 million were stolen.
The men, aged 19 to 33 and all Hong Kong residents, were accused of involvement in a syndicate linked to the heist. Police warned more arrests could be made.
On December 13, four masked robbers looted a watch shop on Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok, injuring a shop worker with a knife before fleeing the scene. Police said they fled after some passers-by stopped their vehicle from leaving.
“Police have looked into multiple pieces of CCTV footage and officers had earlier locked down the group. From December 16 to 25, we arrested five men of Chinese nationality, aged between 19 and 33, whom we suspected were related to the robbery,” said Mong Kok district acting chief inspector Li Ki-chun, adding that the case was still under investigation.
“Robbery or conspiracy to rob is a very serious crime that could be punished by life imprisonment. Approaching year-end, business owners should also be more vigilant to avoid being the next target of criminals.”