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Manhunt for gunman as Tsim Sha Tsui watch shop worker fights for life after robbery
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 12 March, 2015, 11:04pm
UPDATED : Friday, 13 March, 2015, 8:39pm
Danny Mok, Clifford Lo and Jennifer Ngo
A suspected gunman, wearing a surgical mask and a wig, posed as a customer when he talked to staff in the watch shop in Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: SCMP Pictures
This is the man Hong Kong police are believed to be hunting in connection with a HK$5.5 million armed robbery at a luxury watch shop which left an employee fighting for his life.
The shop worker was injured on Thursday night when the "calm and savage" robber shot him in the chest as he tried to stop him fleeing the Tsim Sha Tsui scene.
The "well-dressed" robber got away with HK$5.5 million worth of goods in what is the first shooting during a robbery in Hong Kong in more than a decade.
Police released this photo of the suspect in an appeal to the public to help find him. Photo: SCMP Pictures
The employee, 57, who was not named, was shot while trying to stop the thief leaving the store on Peking Road. He was conscious when taken to hospital and reportedly underwent an operation.
Police are now searching for the robber, described by one source as “calm and savage”, and who was said to be about 1.6 metres tall, a Putonghua-speaker and well-dressed, in a silver-grey suit with white sports shoes. He wore a surgical mask on his face and staff believed he was also wearing a wig.
Police investigate after the robber shoots watch shop at TST. Photo: Felix Wong
Officers say the man twice visited the shop - Collectors Watch & Jewelry - in the Hankow Centre, on Thursday afternoon. He returned some time before 10pm, when staff helped him pick out nine Patek Philippe watches worth HK$5.5 million.
Police on Thursday were searching for a well-dressed masked robber who shot a staff member at a watch shop in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Sam Tsang
He showed staff a credit card that he said belonged to his boss, but then grabbed the watches and ran for the door, a police source said. When the employee tried to stop him, he drew a pistol and fired a single shot before fleeing towards Hankow Road. He was last seen in Haiphong Road.
"The guy drew a pistol and fired a single shot without warning, from close range,” another police source said.
The injured man was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei with a wound to the left side of his chest.
The man was one of five sales staff on duty.
Scores of heavily armed police in protective gear swarmed to the scene but did not find the man.
Heavily armed officers in protective gears were deployed to the scene. Photo: Sam Tsang
A cartridge and a magazine containing several rounds of ammunition, thought to be from a mainland-made 7.62mm semi-automatic pistol known as a “black star”, were recovered from the store.
A manhunt continued last night around Kowloon Park and searches being conducted on Haiphong Road.
The jewellery store opened for business this morning at 11.28am, half an hour later than usual.
Employees were tight-lipped and turned their backs to the media’s cameras, while the manager refused to answer questions.
"You are affecting our business right now," he said, when asked if security will be strengthened and whether the company is doing anything to boost employee morale.
Police investigate the scene. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Store employees also refused to say anything or said they weren’t on duty last night.
Owners of some nearby watch shops told staff not to speak to the press, while employees of other shops said they had already finished their shift or their store was closed when the robbery happened. However, some were willing to talk.
"Of course we would worry, which is why we ask very carefully who the person is before letting them in," said Tyson Yip from Fortune Time Watch on nearby Hankow Road.
His shop locks its doors, only opening when they deem the customer safe – a long-time practice – he said.
"If you read the news – who would let that guy in? Sunglasses, mask and wig on? That’s a weird guy," he said.
Yip said his shop has a good security system and nothing needed to change despite yesterday’s robbery.
"Ninety per cent of our customers are mainlanders," he said. "But most of them are familiar customers."
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an employee of a watch shop next door said staff did not fear a repeat incident.
Police are hunting for armed robber. Photo: SCMP Pictures
"I’m not scared, since there are so many police here now. Hong Kong is a safe place so I don’t think this will happen a lot," the employee said.
The last time shots were fired in a robbery was in 2004 at a Jockey Club outlet in To Kwa Wan, when no one was hurt. Shots were also fired at the same outlet two years earlier, again with no injuries. Police recorded 309 robberies last year, none of which involved a real gun.
The latest high-profile case comes after an audacious HK$36 million theft from a nearby jewellery store in January, in which a teenage girl sneaked behind the counter as colleagues distracted staff.
Superintendent Lam Shu-wing of the Kowloon West regional crime unit said the suspect had been acting suspiciously in his two previous visits, catching the attention of the shop staff, who had secretly taken pictures of him as a precaution.
He said anyone with information about the case or the suspect should call the Kowloon West regional crime unit on 9181 5385.
