The time the luxury home of Hong Kong’s top cop was robbed by 2 men posing as telephone technicians

“Police officials last night played down an incident in which two men bluffed their way into the Police Commissioner [Mr Li Kwan-ha]’s house and stole cash and valuables worth an estimated $50,000,” reported the South China Morning Post on September 22nd, 1990.

“Earlier yesterday, two men posing as telephone technicians [ …] threatened Mrs Li and tied up their maid before fleeing with cash and valuables. Police have issued an appeal to any taxi driver who might have picked up the suspects in the vicinity of Magazine Gap Road between 11am and 1.30pm”

On October 2nd, the Post wrote that “two men appeared in Western Court yesterday charged with robbing and handling stolen property belonging to the wife of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Li Kwan-ha. No plea was taken from Chow Sin-tak, 28, and Lam Wai-man, 29, and they were remanded in custody until Saturday.

Chow, of Jordan Road, Kowloon, faces charges of robbing Mrs Li Kwan-kwong of $2,000 in Canadian currency, two Rolex watches, two brooches, one pendant, three Hongkong Bank passbooks and a quantity of jewellery. Lam, of Kwai Chung, faces one charge of handling the two Rolex watches, knowing and believing them to be stolen.”

On May 18th, 1991, the Post reported that “nine months after it was robbed, Police Commissioner Mr Li Kwan-ha’s Peak house is still guarded around the clock by a team of police constables [and] at a time when the police force is suffering from manpower shortages.”

On October 5th that same year, the Post confirmed that “two men, Chow Sin-tak and Cheng Mei-mo, both 28, who carried out the actual hold-up [ …] admitted the robbery and were each sentenced to five years’ jail by the High Court.

“Lam Wai-man [ …] was given a suspended sentence for handling.”