Two men claiming to be plainclothes Hong Kong police officers have stolen HK$210,000 in cash from a man near Tuen Mun’s police station.
The two men stopped the 63-year-old on Wednesday and asked for his identity card. The perpetrators did not show any identification but claimed they needed to search the victim’s bag before grabbing it and running away.
The victim, a construction worker, was carrying HK$150,000 to give to his girlfriend for a property renovation, as well as HK$60,000 he won from a racecourse bet, according to Ming Pao citing unnamed sources.
The suspects were described as being around 30 years of age and around 1.7 metres tall. One of them was muscular with short dark hair and wore a green jacket and blue pants. The other had a medium build and wore a black long-sleeved top and black pants.
The victim reported the incident to the police who listed it as a case of impersonating police and theft. It is being investigated by Tuen Mun criminal investigation team six, though no arrests have been made.
Plainclothes police officers have become a common sight during recent protests, with some officers posing as protesters in order to make arrests, search suspects and gather intelligence.
Last October, a 29-year-old mainland Chinese woman staying at the Regal Riverside Hotel in Sha Tin was stopped by a man claiming to be a police officer. He searched her room and made away with HK$40,000 worth of belongings.
