Sheung Shui fruit shop thwarts theft with 'rigged' money bucket

A fruit shop in Sheung Shui successfully fended off a masked thief on Sunday morning after the owner’s DIY anti-theft "mechanism" prevented the suspect from snatching cash from a hanging bucket.

The incident occurred at approximately 8.08am on December 28 at a shop on Lung Sum Avenue. CCTV footage released by the store shows a man wearing a dark top, light-colored trousers, and a face mask loitering outside while staff were busy moving stock.

Taking advantage of a moment when the storefront was unattended, the suspect pulled down a red plastic money bucket suspended from the ceiling and attempted to grab the banknotes inside. However, the shop owner, Mr. Lai, had previously secured the cash—totaling between HK2,000 in small denominations—using a clip tied to the bucket's handle with a string.

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The thief was unable to pull the money free quickly, and when staff noticed the commotion and approached, the suspect fled the scene empty-handed.

Mr. Lai described the suspect as being in his 30s and appearing "experienced," suggesting the man may have cased the shop beforehand. The owner stated that he decided to share the footage on social media to alert other business owners as the Lunar New Year approaches.

"With the year-end coming up, many shops are busy and handling more cash," Mr. Lai told local media. "I hope other merchants stay vigilant to avoid becoming targets."

The shop has reported the case to the police.