Hong Kong police arrest 11 people, including 14- year-old teen, linked to staged traffic accidents
- Authorities plan to charge 24-year-old alleged male mastermind and 22-year-old female accomplice, as well as a 15-year-student
- Suspects staged minor traffic accidents to extract compensation from drivers for purported injuries inflicted during collisions, police say
Hong Kong police have arrested 11 people, including a 14-year-old teenager, over their suspected involvement in an alleged conspiracy to defraud victims by staging traffic accidents.
Authorities planned to charge the 24-year-old alleged male mastermind and a 22-year-old female accomplice, as well as a 15-year-student, Michael Law Like-him, chief inspector of the New Territories North regional crime unit, said on Saturday.
The trio will appear at Fanling Court on Monday.
The suspects were alleged to have staged minor traffic accidents in a bid to convince the drivers they were responsible and demanded compensation for the purported injuries suffered, Law said.
He said the case came to light on April 11 when staff from a secondary school in Tuen Mun called police for help after the alleged mastermind, along with two women aged 22 and 23, attempted to take the 15-year-old student with them.
The chief inspector said the alleged mastermind was found to be involved in 44 minor traffic accidents between October last year and March, and as many as two cases a day at one stage.