Hong Kong police arrest 3 suspects in crackdown on pickpocketing syndicate

Hong Kong police have arrested three Indonesian passport holders in a crackdown on a pickpocketing syndicate that hunted for targets near banks and followed victims before stealing their belongings.

The force said on Thursday that the suspects – two men and one woman – were accused of stealing HK$70,000 (US$9,000) and 200,000 Japanese yen (HK$10,300) from two elderly residents shortly after the victims withdrew money from two different banks in North Point in September and November.

Inspector Ip Kai-hong of the Eastern district crime squad said the 71-year-old man withdrew HK$70,000 for his daily expenses on September 5, while the 63-year-old woman withdrew 200,000 yen for travel purposes on Tuesday last week.

“Within half an hour of the victims withdrawing the cash, they found their bags unzipped and the money missing,” he said.

Investigations revealed that the pickpocketing gang would linger near banks to hunt for victims and then followed them.

“The suspects even queued up for shopping and took the same bus as the victims, waiting for a chance to steal their money,” Ip said.