Wan Chai bank robbery suspect remanded until June

A 51-year-old American man accused of robbing HK$35,550 from a Wan Chai bank last Friday was ordered to be remanded in custody until his next hearing in June.

The incident occurred around 12.30pm at a Bank of East Asia branch on 56 Gloucester Road on April 10, where the man was allegedly armed with a suspected firearm during the robbery.

Within 90 minutes of the report, the suspect was apprehended at Wan Tsui Shopping Centre in Chai Wan, where authorities also recovered the stolen cash, two air guns, and a hammer.

The man has been charged with one count of robbery and one count of possession of an imitation firearm. He was brought to the Eastern Magistrates' Courts without legal representation this morning.

He was not required to enter a plea. The prosecution's application to withdraw the imitation firearm charge was approved, pending consent from the Department of Justice.

The defendant did not apply for bail but has retained the right to a bail review, which is scheduled for April 21. During the hearing, he told the court that the incident was a misunderstanding, insisted he did not commit the crime, and opposed the adjournment of the case.

It is understood that the suspect will remain in custody until his next court appearance on June 9 to allow for further police investigations, which will include fingerprint and firearm analysis.