- Masked men struck outside Wellcome store in Mong Kok around 6am, escaping with about 50 packets holding 600 rolls
- Barrister says case is serious and toilet paper in current circumstances can be considered valuable
Armed robbers stole more than HK$1,000 worth of toilet paper from outside a Hong Kong supermarket on Monday morning, as panic over the spread of the coronavirus showed little signs of easing.
Three masked men stole 600 rolls in about 50 packets from a delivery man outside a Wellcome store in Mong Kok, at around 6am on Monday. Police said one of the men was armed with a knife.
Two people had been arrested by midday on Monday, and the force said they were hunting down a third suspect. The stolen toilet rolls were found in a guest house not far from where it was taken.
The incident followed weeks of panic buying at supermarkets across the city after online rumours sparked fears of a shortage of essential goods, caused by the outbreak of the virus, which originated in mainland China.
Barrister Albert Luk Wai-hung believed the rolls of toilet paper could be considered valuable items given the supply issues, adding the case itself was serious.
"Whether it is money or toilet paper being robbed, that's not the most important consideration by the court.
"Since this incident is likely premeditated and it's an armed gang robbery, these are all aggravating factors which make the case more serious compared with other robbery cases," said Luk.
Luk added that robbery carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
On Sunday, Gilly Wong Fung-han, the Consumer Council's CEO, appealed to the public not to stockpile toilet rolls, as the humid climate made them susceptible to mould.
She added that major suppliers had already said there would be sufficient stock, but a shortage of masks, and the spread of the virus, which causes the Covid-19 disease, has further fuelled public fears.
Hong Kong recorded its 57th confirmed case of infection on Sunday, and there has been one death. Globally, more than 70,000 people have fallen ill, and almost 1,800 have died.
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