Hong Kong police arrest suspected triad member, girlfriend’s 10-year-old son over splattering red paint on Tseung Kwan O flat
- Man took 10-year-old boy to daub On Ning Garden flat with red paint in apparent move to demand debt repayment
- ‘The boy was ordered to use a mobile phone to take video when the man poured red paint at the security gate and wooden door of the flat,’ insider says
Hong Kong police have arrested a suspected triad member and his girlfriend’s 10-year-old son over daubing red paint on a Tseung Kwan O flat in an apparent move to demand a HK$800,000 (US$102,300) debt repayment.
A source familiar with the case on Thursday said investigations indicated the 45-year-old man picked up the Primary Five boy after school on Monday and allegedly took him to the On Ning Garden flat on Sheung Ning Road to carry out the act.
“The boy was ordered to use a mobile phone to take a video when the man poured red paint at the security gate and wooden door of the flat,” the insider said.
He added it was a common tactic for those recruited to conduct such illegal acts to be required to take photos or videos and send them to the involved debt-collection syndicates as proof of the task being completed.
Police launched a manhunt for the pair after a security camera installed outside the premises captured the incident.
After gathering evidence, officers raided the man’s flat in the Kowloon East area on Wednesday. They only found his girlfriend, who had recently given birth to a baby.
The source said the woman was furious after learning her boyfriend allegedly took her son to carry out such an act.