Six suspects in high-end watch heist taken down

Sophie Hui

All six alleged members of a gang that robbed a Causeway Bay watch shop of 70 high-end timepieces worth HK$13 million in less than three minutes have been arrested.

Surveillance camera footage showed four of the gang bursting into Tse's Collection on Lockhart Road at 1.05pm on Wednesday and threatening two staff with what appeared to be a handgun, a knife and a hammer.

In a press briefing last night, police said they arrested four local men in Causeway Bay and Mong Kok. They were aged 20 to 35 and all are jobless. They arrested two other men, aged 32 and 43, in Happy Valley and Yuen Long, on suspicion of providing the escape vehicle.

"We have recovered 36 of the 70 lost watches in their possession - in the hotel room where they stayed and their homes. We have also seized around HK$230,000 cash which we believe are proceeds from the crime," said chief inspector Cheung Ka-wing of Regional Crime Unit of Hong Kong Island.

"According to our investigation, the robbers rode in two private cars before and after the crime took place. We suspected that the two car owners knowingly provided vehicles to these four robbers to commit the crime," Cheung said.

All six suspects have been detained in police stations for investigation. Police said further arrests could be made.

"We will investigate whether these six suspects are related to other criminal cases that happened in other places in Hong Kong," Cheung said. "We will also investigate where the rest of the watches are and we do not rule out the possibility of more people getting arrested."

Police said they will investigate whether the cash came from the sales of watches.

Cheung called on the public to contact police if someone sells them expensive watches from unknown sources or if they suspect the watches are stolen goods.

They can call Regional Crime Unit officers at 2860-7834 or 9886-0043.

But Cheung said officers did not find the suspected gun used in the robbery.

"In our investigation, we did not find any evidence indicating that this case involves genuine firearms," he said.

Cheung said the four had walked around and inspected the surroundings in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai on that Wednesday morning before the robbery.

Armed robbery can draw up to life in prison for those convicted, he said.

"We have zero tolerance for this kind of serious crime. We are determined and capable to solve these cases and arrest the criminals," Cheung added.

"Anyone should not take risks in the hope that they may not be caught. They have to bear the consequences."

sophie.hui@singtaonewscorp.com