Advertisement

Hong Kong police arrest 5 alleged robbers after group storms into jewellery store just metres from scene of Monday abduction of woman

  • Officers staked out VIP Station shop on Haiphong Road after learning it had been targeted, source says
  • Force says two display cases damaged, but nothing stolen

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
9
Hong Kong police arrested five suspects after they stormed the VIP Station store on Haiphong Road, an insider has said. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong police drew their weapons to arrest five alleged smash-and-grab thieves at a watch and jewellery store in the city’s bustling Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district on Tuesday.

A police source said the arrests were made about noon by officers from the force’s Criminal Intelligence Bureau, also known as the hit team, who staked out the VIP Station store on Haiphong Road.

“Intelligence revealed a robbery gang targeted the store and criminal intelligence officers specialising in daring arrests and raids laid an ambush outside the shop,” the insider said.

01:03

Alleged robbers storm Hong Kong watch and jewellery store

Alleged robbers storm Hong Kong watch and jewellery store

A 48-second video posted online shows five masked men carrying three sledgehammers and two knives leaving a white car parked outside before entering the store.

In the clip, two of the robbers threaten staff with knives and the other three hit a glass cabinet and a display counter with sledgehammers.

Footage shows at least seven plain-clothes officers carrying guns then move in before the robbers drop their weapons and squat or sit on the floor. Officers then subdue them.

Police said the gang arrived in a white Mazda, which pulled over outside the store at around 11.55am. The incident happened just metres from where a woman was abducted on Monday.

Advertisement