Police Say Gang Linked To Series Of Thefts Smashed

Police said on Wednesday that they have smashed a gang that was involved in at least 15 shop burglaries and seven car theft cases across Hong Kong in the past 10 months.

Fifteen people, aged between 16 and 52, were arrested in connection with the cases.

The police estimated that the items stolen from the shops, including cash and computers, were worth HK$1.8 million.

The officers said three of the suspects were arrested on Monday during an operation in Tin Shui Wai, when the trio were moving the allegedly stolen goods to a car.

Detectives said one of the suspects was wearing the uniform of housewares chain Japan Home at the time, possibly for disguise. They also said the group – which they said had triad links – had used fake licence plates to evade detection.

The officers said the gang normally worked in groups of three, with one person as a look-out, and that they targetted mostly Japanese cars which were easy to break into.