Police detain mainland illegal immigrant for house break-ins

Police recently carried out anti-burglary operations and arrested a 39-year-old Chinese immigrant in Discovery Bay. He was suspected of at least three burglary cases involving houses in Sai Kung and the Western District of Hong Kong Island, involving an amount of about HK$570,000. A number of the burglaries reported in BUZZ over the past few months are believed to be amongst them.

The Chief Inspector of Unit 2 of the East Kowloon Regional Crime Unit said that from May to June, there were a number of burglary cases with similar modus operandi. The thieves committed crimes while the head of the household was not at home or asleep. Following the police conducting in-depth investigations, a man was identified as being involved in at least three cases. The stolen items in the cases were mainly cash, jewellery, and expensive watches, with a total value of about HK$570,000. Police arrested a 39-year-old illegal immigrant of Chinese nationality in Discovery Bay on the afternoon of 9 June . During the operation, one of the stolen watches was recovered, worth about HK$50,000.

The Chief Inspector said that the man was suspected of being involved in at least three burglary cases involving detached houses in Sai Kung and the Western District of Hong Kong Island. The most expensive item stolen was a Rolex watch worth HK$100,000. The police believed that the thieves used tools to pry open the doors and windows to enter the house while the residents of the detached house were not in the residence.

He said that the police determined that the arrested person was an illegal immigrant. When he sold the stolen goods, he used an identity card that had been reported as belonging to another person. In the Mong Kok hotel room where the suspect lived, the police recovered part of the lost property, including a HK$50,000 watch, and found a batch of burglary tools.

After investigation, the police also believed that the arrested man came to Hong Kong to commit crimes using illegal channels. Police said that the arrested man was charged with  burglary, possession of tools for breaking and entering, use of another’s ID card and illegal entry, and he is currently being detained for investigation.