Police have arrested a 68-year-old man and recovered an Eastern box turtle after it was stolen from a Sham Shui Po restaurant on Sunday.
The restaurant owner reported the theft at around 6pm on Sunday (Dec 14), saying a man had taken the Eastern box turtle from the diner.
After an investigation, police classified the case as theft and referred it to the Sham Shui Po District Investigation Team. Officers later reviewed closed-circuit television footage from the area and arrested a 68-year-old man surnamed Tsang in Sham Shui Po on Tuesday afternoon (Dec 16) on suspicion of theft.
The stolen turtle was recovered unharmed and has since been returned to the restaurant owner.
Police said the suspect entered the restaurant, made no purchase, and allegedly grabbed the turtle before fleeing the scene.
The man has been charged with one count of theft. His case is scheduled to be heard at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on January 7 next year.
The turtle, described as about the size of a human palm, was more than a pet and had become a beloved mascot for the restaurant owner and regular customers.
One diner, surnamed Wong, expressed relief over the turtle’s safe return, saying, “It's back where it belongs, and we get to play with it again!”
Wong said the owner had raised the turtle for about two years and noted that he sometimes visits the restaurant specifically to take it outside for some sunshine.
The Eastern box turtle is classified as a second-level endangered species. It is known for its bilobed plastron, which allows it to almost completely close its shell when threatened.
Its distinctive and vibrant shell patterns make each individual turtle unique. The species is popular among pet owners in Hong Kong, with prices ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.
