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A public housing tenant in Sham Shui Po has turned a common corridor into his personal storage space, leaving piles of online shopping parcels inside and outside his flat for years and raising safety concerns, according to Sing Tao Probe, a sister publication of The Standard.
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Kwok Kai-chung, a 58-year-old resident of Fu Cheong Estate, worked as an extra in two Hong Kong films, including a cameo as a schoolgirl in King of Comedy. He lives in a 168-square-foot flat, where every inch is filled with clutter, forcing new deliveries to spill into the common corridor.
On-site observations by Sing Tao Probe reporters found the corridor packed with parcels and miscellaneous items. Despite repeated clearance notices, the clutter remained, with spoiled goods and a strong foul smell adding to residents' concerns.
The problem of Kwok piling up parcels and obstructing the corridor has persisted for years. When the Housing Department attempted to clear the area in 2013, Kwok reportedly threatened to kill himself to stop the operation.
Kwok said he has a hoarding disorder and cannot control his urge to shop. Despite repeated notices from estate management ordering him to clear the corridor, he continues to accumulate new parcels.
Kwok has 25 theft convictions and served 25 weeks in prison in 2017 for stealing cat food and batteries. Facing online speculation that the large volume of goods suggested theft, he defended himself by showing reporters his Taobao and Pinduoduo purchase records on his phone.
"How could I steal from the pickup point?" Kwok said. "I bought everything with my own money."
The parcel labels matched his name and address.
Kwok relies on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) and is exempt from paying rent to the Housing Department because of his illness.
He said he limits himself to spending HK$70 a day on food, transport and other daily expenses.
Kwok often buys toys in bulk and gives them to local children.
"A pack of balloons on Pinduoduo costs just over HK$10. Bubbles and lanterns cost about the same," he said. "I buy instant noodles and drinks online for breakfast and lunch, and treat myself to a two-dish rice box for dinner."
The clutter in the corridor has raised safety concerns, although some of Kwok's neighbors said they did not mind it. A wheelchair user who struggles to pass described Kwok as "a good man" and said the stored items were not a major issue. Another neighbor, surnamed Chan, said the belongings did not obstruct her, while a teenager who has lived in the estate for more than a decade described Kwok as "very kind" because he frequently shares gifts with local children.
The Housing Department has issued multiple notices requiring Kwok to clear the obstruction. Kwok said officers recently gave him one day to remove everything, and he again threatened self-harm in response.
Under the estate's Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement, obstructing common corridors carries seven penalty points. Accumulating 16 points within two years can result in lease termination.
The department said it is following up on the case.
