Woman Arrested After Gift Card Theft at Olympian City
HK01 · 3 SOURCESabout 5 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A suspected shop theft at Eslite Bookstore in Olympian City drew public attention after a video showed a woman in a long skirt struggling with staff inside the mall. Police said the incident was reported at 8:23pm on October 30 at a bookstore at 1 Hoi Wang Road, where a 52-year-old local woman surnamed Chan allegedly stole two gift cards worth about HK$80 in total. She was arrested on suspicion of theft, and the case was handed to the Mong Kok district crime squad's Team 4 for follow-up.
Key Points
- The incident took place at Phase 3 of Olympian City, 1 Hoi Wang Road, where footage showed a male bookstore employee grappling with a woman in a long skirt.
- In the video, a security guard approached to ask what happened, and the employee shouted that the woman had stolen something.
- The woman briefly broke free and ran, but fell to the ground nearby before getting up and trying to flee again.
- A male passer-by then helped stop her, while bookstore staff surrounded her and repeatedly shouted not to let her leave because police had been called.
- Police said the suspect was a 52-year-old local woman surnamed Chan, accused of stealing two gift cards worth about HK$80 in total.
Why It Matters
The case shows how minor-value shop theft allegations can quickly escalate into physical confrontations in crowded shopping centres, drawing in staff, security and bystanders. Hong Kong readers may also note that the reported value was small, but the offence cited by police was theft, which the reports said can carry a maximum 10-year jail term upon conviction on indictment.