Bogus shop set up for HK$4 million theft of Patek Philippe, Richard Mille watches
Hong Kong police arrest two men after luxury watches stolen from mainland Chinese merchants in elaborate scam
Hong Kong police have arrested two men in connection with the HK$4 million (US$512,820) theft of two luxury Swiss watches in a deal at a bogus repair shop.
Police said on Saturday that they received a report from two mainland Chinese watch merchants that two Patek Philippe and Richard Mille watches had been stolen from them during a transaction on Monday in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Chief Inspector Li Ki-chun of Yau Tsim police district said officers arrested two suspects – the alleged mastermind and a driver linked to the case – on Friday after reviewing surveillance footage and conducting an in-depth investigation.
“Police discovered the syndicate involved in this case had set up a fake premium watch repair service centre in Tsim Sha Tsui,” Li said.
The merchants had intended to sell two timepieces worth more than HK$4 million and brought the goods to the “shop” to make the deal, Inspector So Sin-yi said.
So said the mastermind, who served the two men in the shop on Monday evening, first handed over a large bag of cash to the victims, before putting their watches in a safe and then claiming he had to retrieve tools from another room.