50 turtles worth $5m stolen from Tsuen Wan flat

Eunice Lam

Fifty eastern box turtles and Mexican box turtles were stolen from a flat in a Tsuen Wan industrial building, with the operator estimating their worth at around HK$5 million.

Surveillance footage shows that the burglary occurred around 8.15am yesterday when three men, dressed in black, entered the flat.

They quickly transferred the turtles from plastic boxes into duffel bags, and one even took a box. The men fled the scene in under five minutes.

Police were alerted to a flat in Lung Shing Factory Building on Texaco Road, Tsuen Wan, at about 10am, after a 40-year-old man, Chan, discovered his door had been broken into and signs of looting inside.

Preliminary investigations revealed that about 50 turtles had been stolen.

"The case has been classified as a burglary. No arrests have been made at this time," police said.

The flat is a licensed turtle breeding facility under the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department.

Chan, the facility's operator, reported that he left the flat at around 2am after checking on the turtles and discovered the burglary upon returning at around 10 am. The stolen turtles, both eastern box and Mexican box turtles, are classified as endangered species in Hong Kong.

Most are between four and six years old, with some currently in breeding programs.

Each turtle features a unique pattern and can grow up to 20 centimeters long. Chan said the turtles could be valued at about HK$100,000 each, due to their quality patterns and genes.

As a licensed breeding facility, Chan's operation is required to register the genetic profiles of all turtles with the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department.

He suspects that the burglary was carried out by individuals within the industry, as it is unlikely that outsiders would recognize the turtles' value.

Chan described the act as a "purposive burglary" aimed at harming his business.

To enhance security, Chan has implemented stronger measures at the facility, including the installation of a more robust gate at the entrance.

"It would't be easy for them to resell the stolen turtles," he said, adding the turtle trading market in Hong Kong is relatively small and relevant surveillance footage has been widely circulated among turtle enthusiasts.