Hong Kong Police Detain 15 in Robbery Case Involving Theft of ¥1 Billion

By Nobuha Endo / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

18:24 JST, December 22, 2025

HONG KONG – Hong Kong police announced Monday they had detained 15 Hong Kong residents in connection with a robbery of about ¥1 billion in cash in central Hong Kong.

Police said the stolen cash has not been recovered.

According to the announcement, the robbery occurred at around 9 a.m. on Thursday in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island. Two Chinese employees of a Japanese company that deals in cryptocurrency and luxury apparel were robbed while en route to exchange currency. They were carrying the Japanese currency in four suitcases.

Hong Kong media initially reported that employees of a foreign exchange shop had been robbed.

The crime took about 30 seconds and was highly premeditated.

Police believe the suspects had prior knowledge of the cash transport.