Hong Kong police hunt three armed suspects after latest daylight smash-and-grab jewellery store robbery
- The suspects stole HK$1 million worth of jewellery from a gold shop in the city’s Sheung Shui area on Wednesday morning
- Earlier this month, police arrested seven men tied to a similar million-dollar robbery in Tin Shui Wai
Hong Kong police are hunting three armed men who made off with HK$1 million (US$129,000) worth of gold jewellery in a smash-and-grab robbery in Sheung Shui.
Police arriving at the scene on Wednesday morning found glass covering the floor and a hammer left behind after the display cabinets of Sun Tung Shing Jewellery and Goldsmith on San Hong Street were smashed.
The shop’s owner called police at about 9am, after three masked men in their 30s rushed into the shop, broke open the cases and stole HK$1.1 million worth of gold jewellery. They then made their getaway in a sedan that sped off in the direction of Fu Hing Street.
Daring daylight robbery sees gang make off with HK$3 million in gold
“Two of them wore black tops. One carried a knife, while another had a hammer,” a police spokesman said. “No arrest has been made yet. Investigation by the Tai Po district crime squad is under way.”
According to official statistics, reports of robbery across the city have increased about fivefold, to 122, in the first three months of 2020, up from 23 in the same period a year ago.
Police earlier this month arrested seven men over the robbery of nearly HK$1 million in gold jewellery from a store in Tin Shui Wai.
The incident, which took place on the night of June 16, was caught on video that circulated widely online.
The footage shows four men wearing hoodies, masks and gloves as they storm into the Far East Jewellery shop at the T Town North shopping centre, wielding sledgehammers and retractable batons.
They threatened staff with the weapons and used the hammers to smash glass display counters. The footage shows employees and the single customer inside at the time exiting the shop together as one of the thieves stands watch.
Hong Kong police hunt smash-and-grab robbers who stole HK$1.1 million worth of jewellery from Tin Shui Wai store
The gang stole HK$930,000 worth of gold ornaments in about 45 seconds before jumping into a car that sped off towards Lau Fau Shan.
Also in June, a daring daylight robbery saw a smash-and-grab gang steal HK$3 million worth of valuables from a jewellery store in Tuen Mun, just five minutes after staff pulled up their rolling shutter and opened for business.
