Gang snatches HK$32 million in ambush on money exchange staff on busy Hong Kong street
The five men were on the way to a bank to deposit the money – which was in two suitcases – when they were attacked in Tsim Sha Tsui
Five men were robbed of more than 400 million Japanese yen (HK$32 million) in an ambush by a gang in Tsim Sha Tsui on Friday.
Three of the gang of eight men were later arrested and the money recovered, but the other five were last night still on the run.
The five employees of a money exchange company, all Indians, were on their way to a bank to deposit the money – contained in two suitcases – when they were attacked outside Friends’ House on Carnarvon Road about 11.30am.
Some of the gang were armed with sharp objects as the victims were punched and kicked. Four of the robbers fled with the money in a seven-seater vehicle.
Superintendent Chan Tse-Leung of Yau Tsim Police district said the two suitcases were later found on board the getaway car that was intercepted in a flyover outside Mei Foo Sun Chuen housing estate in Lai Chi Kok just before 1pm.
Two rear-seat passengers jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot. Chan said the pair jumped off the flyover but one injured his leg and was arrested while the other suspect managed to escape.
Another two suspects were arrested in the car. The three men, aged from 31 to 38, are south Asians and one has a Hong Kong identity card.
Meanwhile, police were looking for two men – a Hongkonger and a non-Chinese man – after a 60-year-old prostitute was robbed of a gold necklace and bracelet worth HK$65,000 at a one-woman brothel in Sham Shui Po early on Friday.
The hold-up happened in the Apliu Street brothel at about 1am after the woman answered the door.
“The Hongkonger entered the flat, threatened the victim with a knife and robbed her out of a HK$50,000 gold necklace and a HK$15,000 bracelet,” a police spokesman said.
Trio smash Hong Kong store window and flee with HK$1 million worth of watches in under 20 seconds
Police said the other robber stayed outside the flat as a lookout. The pair fled before officers arrived. The victim was unhurt. Police searched the area but no arrests were made.
The Hongkonger is about 1.65 metres (5 feet 5 inches) tall and the other man about 1.5 metres (4 feet 11 inches) tall.
Working as a prostitute is not illegal in Hong Kong, but it is against the law to solicit clients, run a brothel of two or more people, live off the earnings of a prostitute, or control a woman for the purpose of prostitution.
