Five arrested as police smash metal theft ring targeting Shek Lei Pui Water Treatment Works

Hong Kong police have dismantled a burglary syndicate accused of stealing major copper components from a water treatment plant in Kam Shan, arresting five men, including three Vietnamese nationals and a local recycling shop owner who allegedly purchased the stolen goods.

The investigation was launched after the Water Supplies Department filed multiple reports between July and September, revealing that several sets of copper wiring and 48 copper water pump components, valued at approximately HK$350,000, had been stolen from the Shek Lei Pui Water Treatment Works.

Detectives and task force officers from the Sham Shui Po Police District initiated a deep-dive investigation into the security breach. By analyzing security camera footage, including feeds from the SmartView public surveillance system, officers identified a criminal gang operating in the area. 

The footage showed the suspects taking the heavy industrial copper parts from the secure facility and transporting them to a local recycling shop located in the Sham Shui Po district to sell them for cash.

In a coordinated enforcement operation on Wednesday, police arrested four suspected burglars in Sham Shui Po, consisting of one local Hong Kong man and three Vietnamese nationals, aged between 25 and 45, who are currently residing in the city on recognizance forms.

Simultaneously, officers raided the recycling shop involved in the illicit transactions and arrested the 55-year-old local male proprietor on suspicion of handling stolen property. 

All five suspects are being detained for questioning, and the investigation is being actively pursued by the Sham Shui Po police district.

Read more: $14,000 worth of copper components stolen from abandoned water treatment plant

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