Hong Kong burglars strike during Typhoon Higos, robbing dried seafood shops of HK$1.1 million in products
- Two stores in Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan hit by gangs before dawn with typhoon warning signal No 9 in force
- Reports of burglaries have been on the rise across the city this year, with 1,156 cases recorded
Police received reports of the two incidents – in Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan – in the span of an hour when the typhoon warning signal No 9, the second highest in the city’s alert system, was in force.
Officers were called to a shop on Shek Yam Road in Kwai Chung soon after 2.30am when its security alarm went off.
“A 30cm-by-50cm hole was found in the wall near the shop’s rear entrance,” a police spokesman said. Officers scouted the area, but no arrests were made.
According to police, HK$200,000 worth of caterpillar fungus, dried fish maw and bird’s nests were stolen from the dried seafood shop.
Officers are searching for two suspects in connection with the case.
The two men, believed to be about 1.7 metres and 1.75 metres tall, were wearing surgical masks, gloves and hats at the time of the raid.
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The second break-in was discovered by a 39-year-old staff member around 3.30am when she returned to her Hoi Pa Street store in Tsuen Wan.
“The employee told officers that the door was prised open with signs of ransacking inside the shop,” the spokesman said.
Police said caterpillar fungus estimated to be worth HK$900,000 was stolen.
Four men of medium build were being sought by police in relation to the burglary. The four suspects were wearing caps, surgical masks and gloves at the time of the break-in.
Reports of burglaries have been on the rise across the city this year. In July, a senior Swire executive had his house on Mount Cameron Road on The Peak broken into. His neighbour, French consul general Alexandre Giorgini, also had his house burgled in January.
According to police, 1,156 burglaries were reported in the first half of this year, an increase of 47.1 per cent from 786 in the same period last year.
To cope with the rising trend, the force has stepped up patrols and mounted anti-burglary operations.
