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Clifford Lo

Hong Kong police have commended two men who helped foil a criminal’s attempt to rob the owner of a money changer of HK$1 million (US$129,000) at knifepoint.
The victim, 53, was approached by the robber from behind at the junction of Kweilin Street and Lai Chi Kok Road after she left her shop at around 9pm on Sunday, according to the force.
“The robber threatened her with a knife and tried to snatch her handbag that had HK$1 million,” police said on Thursday. “Two helpful residents intervened and prevented the robber from taking the handbag.”
The robber fled empty-handed and escaped via a nearby getaway vehicle.
Officers later found the abandoned vehicle in Tai Po.
Police said their investigation pointed to a worker from a car repair shop, who was suspected of committing the crime using a vehicle left at the garage.
Within 24 hours, officers arrested a 49-year-old man in connection with the case. The man was later charged with attempted robbery.
“Officers promptly identified the culprit after the incident, with the government’s crime prevention closed-circuit television [CCTV] system playing a crucial role in solving the case,” the force said.
Police praised the two passers-by for their courageous actions, saying that the pair “acted bravely for a righteous cause”.
The force reiterated the importance of prioritising “personal safety” when assisting in the prevention of crime, stressing the need to alert police.
Police also reminded residents to strengthen security measures when transporting large sums of money, such as increasing manpower and occasionally changing times and routes.
In Hong Kong, robbery is punishable by up to life in prison.
Between January and July this year, police handled 54 reports of robbery across the city.
To tackle crime and ensure public safety in densely populated zones and high-risk areas, authorities plan to install more than 600 sets of police surveillance cameras across the city this year. The effort is part of a plan to install about 2,000 each year under an ongoing CCTV installation scheme.
The bustling Mong Kok entertainment and shopping district was chosen as the first location in a trial of the scheme in March, with 15 sets of surveillance cameras installed.
Another 13 sets of surveillance cameras were installed in the Western police district, where the central government’s liaison office is located.
The force has not disclosed the total number of surveillance cameras installed across the city under the scheme.


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Law and Crime

Police say pair who prevented thief from snatching woman’s handbag ‘acted bravely for a righteous cause’


Police say pair who prevented thief from snatching woman’s handbag ‘acted bravely for a righteous cause’.


Hong Kong police

2 Hongkongers praised for helping stop HK$1 million knifepoint robbery

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Police say pair who prevented thief from snatching woman’s handbag ‘acted bravely for a righteous cause’

Police say pair who prevented thief from snatching woman’s handbag ‘acted bravely for a righteous cause’