Watches stolen during sledge hammer raid on luxury shop in Hong Kong
In this article (5)
Two burglars smashed the window of a luxury goods shop in the IFC mall in Central and fled with 40 watches in front of a security guard during a Lunar New Year’s Day raid.
In a drama that lasted for barely two minutes, one of the pair broke open the glass door of Montblanc with a sledgehammer at about 11.40pm on Saturday, when the shop had been closed for the whole day.
The duo, said to be non-Chinese and wearing surgical masks and knitted caps, defied the guard and smashed three glass showcases inside, sweeping the watches into a bag and ran.
At one point, they attempted to intimidate the guard by threatening him with the sledgehammer.
At a taxi stand outside, the pair got into a car driven by a third man and sped off.
Police said the Germany-based chain, which specialises in several lines of products including watches, writing instruments and jewellery, had confirmed that about 40 watches valued at a total of HK$1 million were snatched.
Central district crime squad was investigating
A sledgehammer has been used in previous burglaries in the city. In September, a group of five or more burglars stole about HK$2 million worth of handbags and watches from the Chanel store at Lee Garden One on Hysan Avenue – one of Hong Kong’s prime retail strips in Causeway Bay, in just 80 seconds.
Questions & Answers
Q.What kind of items did the thieves steal from the shop?
What kind of items did the thieves steal from the shop?
The burglars stole approximately 40 watches from the Montblanc shop. The Germany-based chain specialises in various products, but only watches were confirmed as being snatched during this incident.
Q.What was the estimated value of the stolen goods?
What was the estimated value of the stolen goods?
The watches stolen from the Montblanc store were valued at a total of HK$1 million. This figure was confirmed by the chain to the police following the raid on Lunar New Year's Day.
Q.How long did the entire robbery take place for?
How long did the entire robbery take place for?
The incident at the luxury goods shop in the IFC mall lasted for barely two minutes. The burglars entered, smashed shows, collected the watches, and fled in this short timeframe.
Q.Are there any similarities between this incident and previous crimes in the city?
Are there any similarities between this incident and previous crimes in the city?
Yes, a sledgehammer, similar to the one used in this raid, has been employed in earlier burglaries in Hong Kong. Another notable incident involved a rapid theft at a Chanel store in September.