Two Arrested Over Fake Draft Used to Steal Car
HK01 · 5 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Police said a used-car seller reported on October 28 that he had been deceived during a private car sale in Yau Ma Tei, where a man posing as a buyer allegedly used a suspected forged bank draft and took away the vehicle. After reviewing extensive CCTV footage and conducting intelligence analysis, officers identified two suspects and arrested local men aged 32 and 40 on October 31 and November 1 on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. The car, valued at more than HK$200,000, was recovered from a garage in a remote part of Yuen Long, where police also seized a suspected forged bank draft and a suspected forged vehicle sale contract. The 40-year-old man has been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud and appeared at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on November 2, while the 32-year-old was released on bail pending further investigation.
Key Points
- The case began with a report received by the Yau Tsim District crime unit on October 28 after a seller said his car was taken during a transaction in Yau Ma Tei.
- Police said the suspects used a planned division of roles, with one person contacting the seller first and another posing as the buyer at the inspection meeting.
- During contract signing, the fake buyer allegedly produced a suspected forged bank draft to gain the seller's trust before taking the private car.
- Investigators found the vehicle hidden in a Yuen Long garage, covered by a car sheet, with its licence plates and vehicle registration document removed.
- Police believe the car was intended for resale overseas or sale to a vehicle dismantler, commonly called a scrapyard, to convert it into cash.
Why It Matters
The case underlines a practical risk in Hong Kong's private used-car market: a signed contract and a bank draft may still be part of a fraud if payment has not been verified. Police said conspiracy to defraud is a serious offence under section 159C of the Crimes Ordinance, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment, and urged sellers to confirm identities and the authenticity of drafts or cheques before handing over a vehicle.