Two men arrested over Yau Ma Tei copper thefts
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Police said they received a report on Thursday, November 5, about suspected theft of electrical wiring from a stairwell at Wah Fung Building, 13-15 Jordan Road, Yau Ma Tei. Officers later arrested two men at the building on Sunday, November 8, on suspicion of theft after intelligence analysis and further investigation. One of the suspects was also linked to three other similar cases at the same building, bringing the total to four incidents. Police said a two-metre copper sheet worth about HK$40,000 was recovered, while the four cases involved losses including 50 metres of wire and the copper sheet.
Key Points
- The case began after police received a report on Thursday, November 5, about suspected theft of wiring from a stairwell in Wah Fung Building.
- The building involved was Wah Fung Building at 13-15 Jordan Road in Yau Ma Tei, a busy urban area in Kowloon.
- On Sunday, November 8, officers arrested a 38-year-old Gambian man and a 54-year-old Nigerian man at the building on suspicion of theft.
- Police said both arrested men were remaining in Hong Kong on recognisance papers, commonly known locally as “walking papers”.
- Investigators linked the 54-year-old suspect to three additional similar cases, making four in total, involving 50 metres of wire and a two-metre copper sheet.
Why It Matters
The case points to the disruption and repair costs that can follow thefts of building infrastructure such as wiring and copper components in older urban blocks. For residents and owners in densely populated districts, repeated thefts inside common areas can raise safety concerns and add pressure for tighter building security and maintenance.