2 Hong Kong men arrested for allegedly posing as police to steal HK$38,000 from sex worker
- Force says duo also suspected of robbing another sex worker at same hotel in Hung Hom and making off with HK$25,000
- Two men, aged 32 and 52, allegedly set up meetings with both victims before robbing them, with police identifying suspects from CCTV footage, intelligence gathering
Hong Kong police have arrested two men on suspicion of posing as members of the force to steal HK$38,000 (US$4,862) from a sex worker.
Officers arrested a 32-year-old transport worker and 52-year-old jobless man earlier this week after they allegedly robbed a 25-year-old sex worker at a hotel in Hung Hom on December 23, the force on Friday said.
Inspector Justin Ho of the Kowloon City district crime squad said the two men were also suspected of stealing HK$25,000 from another sex worker, 19, at the same hotel on December 6.
“A police investigation found that both victims were sex workers and used social media platforms to attract customers and arranged for them to meet at a hotel room to engage in sexual transactions,” he said. “The two men, in both cases, pretended to be customers and headed to the rooms to commit the crimes.”
In the most recent case, the victim told officers two men had claimed to be police before attacking her and making off with the money, with the woman suffering abrasions to her arms and knees, the force said.
There was no mention of the duo posing as police officers in the earlier incident.
The force said the suspects were identified after police combed through CCTV footage and gathered intelligence.
Officers arrested the 32-year-old in Mong Kok on Wednesday and the 52-year-old in Ma On Shan on Thursday on suspicion of theft, robbery and impersonation of police officers.
Inspector Ho said a search of the suspects’ homes had turned up the clothes worn by the robbers, as well as phones used during the incidents.
Police were also investigating if the duo had specifically targeted sex workers, he added.
According to the inspector, neither suspect had carried a warrant card or claimed to be a member of any specific police department.
“The police want to emphasise that robbery is a very serious crime … residents should not test the law,” he said.
Police also urged any witnesses to either incident to come forward and contact officers via 3661 7982.
In Hong Kong, anyone convicted of impersonating a police officer can face up to six months in jail and a fine of HK$1,000. The maximum penalty for robbery is life imprisonment.
Police handled 75 robbery reports over the first nine months of this year, an increase of 33.9 per cent from 56 cases logged during the same period in 2022.
