Hong Kong police arrest 9 alleged gang members over HK$7 million watch shop robbery, recover 3 of 88 stolen items
- Six men and three women detained in series of police raids, while HK$130,000 also seized
- Suspects accused of stealing watches from Tuen Mun shop in May
Hong Kong police have arrested nine suspected members of a smash-and-grab gang accused of stealing 88 watches worth HK$7 million (US$896,080) from a shop in the New Territories two months ago.
The force on Wednesday said the six men and three women were detained a day earlier in a series of raids that also led officers to recover three of the stolen watches and HK$130,000 in cash.
Police also seized five other luxury watches not linked to the robbery. Officers are investigating whether they were bought with crime proceeds or tied to other cases.
Chief Inspector Chang Ka-chun of the New Territories North regional crime unit said an investigation suggested the nine were tied to the robbery in Tuen Mun on May 14.
Three men carrying a sledgehammer and knives raided the Kai Fat Path shop and fled with 88 watches worth HK$7 million. They escaped in a silver-coloured car driven by an accomplice. The vehicle was found abandoned in Yuen Long on the same day.
The suspects, aged 24 to 56, were accused of scouting out the location, carrying out the robbery and handling stolen watches.
Chang revealed that officers identified the suspects after examining a large quantity of surveillance camera footage.