Hongkonger who allegedly posed as officer held over burglaries aimed at elderly

Hong Kong police have arrested a 50-year-old man who allegedly posed as a government officer and stole HK$20,000 (US$2,570) from unsuspecting elderly residents in three separate burglaries.

Police on Sunday said they had arrested the man, surnamed Chan, in Ta Kwu Ling on Saturday in connection with three burglaries that occurred in December in Cheung Sha Wan, Sham Shui Po and Tuen Mun.

The force said that between December 25 and 29, three residents reported that a man who posed as an officer from the Water Supplies Department had entered their homes under the pretext of inspecting plumbing.

Inspector Mak Pui-naam said the Sham Shui Po investigation team found the suspect specifically targeted elderly individuals, particularly those living alone in older tenement buildings without CCTV or security gates, as well as residents of public housing units where the interiors were easily visible from corridor windows.

“He wore plain clothes and did not produce any work identification. Once inside, he would steal valuables or cash that was easily visible when the victims were not paying attention,” she said. “He then left immediately. The entire process took only one to two minutes.

Following an investigation that involved reviewing numerous CCTV recordings, police were able to trace and arrest the suspect on suspicion of burglary.

During the operation, officers seized suspected tools used in the burglaries as well as clothing believed to have been worn by the man during the thefts.