Apparently using kids in your jewellery heists is a tried and tested formula.
According a jewellery security expert, last week’s audacious theft of a HKD36 million necklace by a tween girl is almost undoubtedly part of a string of similar robberies across Asia and Europe.
Martin Winchel, of German-based consultancy International Jeweller Security, spoke to the SCMP about the Hong Kong heist – which saw a 12 –14 year old girl casually steal a 100-carat diamond necklace from Emperor Jewellery store in Tsim Sha Tsui on Friday.
He said it bares striking resemblance to dozens of others across the world.
In all incidents, children were used to steal high-price items while Mandarin-speaking adults distracted sales staff.
According to Winchel, near-identical schemes in Macau, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore have been seen in recent months.
The syndicate, believed to be headed by a mainland Chinese man surnamed Luo, is also thought to have worked in Europe and the Middle East last year.
At one point Luo was interviewed by Swiss police, but, amusingly, they let him go “by accident”.
And there we were thinking we had the monopoly on police incompetence.
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