Police are on the hunt for a knife-wielding gang who allegedly pepper sprayed and threatened a precious metals delivery man with knives in broad daylight today, before stealing HKD18 million in gold bars from him.
The theft occurred at around 9am this morning when the delivery man parked his van outside a metal refinery and precious metals manufacturing facility on On Chuen Street in Fan Ling, Ming Pao reports.
As he was about to deliver a trolley carrying three sacks of gold bars to the refinery, three men jumped out of a nearby car, which was driven by an accomplice. Two of the men were reportedly carrying knives and allegedly used them to threaten the delivery man. When he resisted, one of the attackers reportedly pepper sprayed him in the eyes.
The three men then grabbed the gold sacks and fled. HK01 reports that a clerk from the refinery who was passing by attempted to stop them, but was also threatened by the two knife-wielding men.
The two thieves who were armed with knives loaded their loot into another car, where a getaway driver was waiting, and sped away.
The delivery man was taken to hospital for treatment while police investigated the scene. Ironically, On Chuen Street literally means “Safe Street” in Chinese, but we won’t dwell on that for now.
A total of six bags of gold bars were left in the van, leading police to believe that the robbers left in a panic. However, the bags they did get away with contained at least 60 bars, worth a total of HKD18 million.
An investigation by police officers from the New Territories North District Crime Squad is underway. No arrests have been made so far.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been updated.
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