Hong Kong police arrest Mongolian national, 26, on suspicion of robbing elderly blind man at MTR station
Hong Kong police have arrested a 26-year-old Mongolian man believed to have robbed a visually impaired elderly resident at an MTR station after he pretended he was offering help.
Eastern District Inspector Julian Leung on Monday said the man was also suspected of shoplifting at a convenience store late on Saturday, hours before he ran into the 67-year-old blind man at Fortress Hill MTR station.
The suspect is a holder of a recognisance form, a temporary identification document that permits bearers to stay in the city, according to Leung.
He said the CCTV camera had captured the suspect stealing the elderly man’s crossbody bag, which had a phone, cash and identification card inside, at 10.30am.
“We looked into a lot of CCTV footage and targeted the suspect who often appeared to be loitering around Sai Ying Pun,” the inspector added.
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He said officers from the investigative team had successfully tracked down the suspect and apprehended him at his home on Sunday on suspicion of robbery and theft.
The CCTV camera showed that the suspect had stolen a can of beer and some chocolate bars from the convenience store in Sai Ying Pun, Leung added.
He said an investigation into the suspect’s background was under way.
“We strongly condemn the act of bullying the weak and crime targeting the vulnerable,” the inspector said.
He warned that theft was an offence punishable by up to 10 years in jail.
