Taiwan court gives man who robbed watches in Hong Kong 10 years, 10 months in jail

Hong Kong turned down requests for assistance from Taiwan investigators

File photo of Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district  File photo of Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district  (Wikimedia Commons photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taichung District Court on Wednesday (May 27) sentenced a Taiwanese man who robbed two watches from a Hong Kong store last October to 10 years and 10 months in prison.

Appeals were still possible against the sentence, which came about after the Hong Kong authorities refused to help with the investigation, CNA reported.

Lin Tang-chun (林湯駿), 29, flew to Hong Kong on Oct. 5 and bought an air gun shaped like a Glock 17 at a store in the Mong Kok area. The following day, he took a taxi to a store in the Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district where he tried on two watches worth a total of about NT$3.8 million (US$126,000), prosecutors said.

As a member of staff stood by the door making it impossible for him to leave, he produced the imitation gun and threatened the shop attendants before running off with both watches. Lin flew back to Taiwan the same afternoon and received NT$2.8 million from a pawn shop for his loot.

Police in Taiwan arrested him on Nov. 11 and found NT$2.7 million in cash and six watches in his possession. Investigators suspected he had traveled to other countries in Southeast Asia to commit similar robberies.

Lin's case has invited comparisons to the alleged murder committed by Hong Kong citizen Chan Tong-kai (陳同佳) during a trip to Taiwan in 2018. The young man has been accused of killing his girlfriend during a holiday and dumping her in a suitcase near the Tamsui River in New Taipei City.

The crime was only discovered after Chan's return to Hong Kong, leading to requests for extradition which went unheard. The case has been described as the reason for Hong Kong's proposed extradition bill that fueled months of protests, which have been continuing in the wake of China unveiled plans for a national security law affecting the special administrative region.