Hong Kong police have arrested two men for stealing 600 rolls of toilet paper from a delivery worker this morning.
Now TV News reports that at 6am on Monday morning, a delivery worker arrived outside a Wellcome supermarket on Mong Kok Road to unload some toilet paper and other dry goods.
As he was waiting for the metal shutter of the supermarket to open, three masked men appeared and threatened him with a knife.
Apple Daily reports that the trio loaded up a trolley with about 600 toilet rolls, and then fled along Sai Yee Street towards Prince Edward.
The newspaper reports that the robbers made off with 50 12-packs of Virjoy toilet rolls worth about HK$1,000 (US$129) between them.
Two of the men were arrested this afternoon, and police seized what they believe to be some of the looted toilet paper from a guest house in Mong Kok this afternoon.
Panic-buying prompted by the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak has seen a rush on various products, including face masks, hand sanitizer, and — starting earlier this month — toilet paper.
The run on toilet paper was prompted by rumors online that toilet paper supplies would soon be wiped out as the coronavirus took its toll on mainland production. Although local supermarket chains and the government have reassured people that the rumors were false, and that there was plenty of toilet paper, the assurances haven’t been enough to calm people down.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong confirmed its 57th case of the coronavirus over the weekend. A statement published on Saturday said the latest patient is a 54-year-old man who lives in Ming Kung Mansion in Taikoo Shing.
He had no travel history during the incubation period, and his wife has also been transferred to hospital for isolation and observation after developing symptoms.
UPDATE: This story has been updated to include information about the arrests this afternoon.
