Suspect still at large after Sha Tin hostage robbery; Mainland escape suspected

A 49-year-old armed robber remains on the run after holding a bank employee at knifepoint and stealing HK$380,000 in a brazen daylight heist at a Hang Seng Bank branch in Sha Tin. 

Authorities have deployed the elite Special Duties Unit (SDU), commonly known as the "Flying Tigers," to assist in the high-stakes search, but the suspect has so far evaded capture, with police sources suggesting he may have fled to mainland China.

The dramatic robbery unfolded on Monday afternoon at the Fortune City One branch, where the suspect waited until near closing time before pulling out a 30cm kitchen knife and held a 35-year-old female staff member hostage.

Holding the blade to her throat, he forced her to hand over cash from multiple counters before escaping with a mix of Hong Kong dollars, RMB, and USD.

Despite a massive police response—including roadblocks, CCTV reviews, and door-to-door searches—the perpetrator remains at large.

Officers in riot gear combed through the nearby residential estate City One, even borrowing apartments near block 50 for surveillance, while the SDU conducted tactical sweeps.

The injured bank employee, who suffered a neck wound, was treated at hospital and is now in a stable condition. The targeted branch reopened today with heightened security measures in place.

New Territories South Regional Crime Unit is leading the investigation and urging anyone with information to come forward as the hunt for the armed fugitive continues.

(Marco Lam)