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Clifford Lo

The clean-cut thieves slip into upmarket blocks and steal from unattended units

Well-dressed burglars posing as tenants are bluffing their way into residential blocks in daring daytime raids, police say.

After hoodwinking security guards, the suit-wearing crooks knock on doors until they find an empty flat then break in using  tools earlier secreted in the buildings.

Police say the raids are taking place across the Kowloon West  district, which encompasses the upmarket Kowloon Tong area as well as Kowloon City, Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei.

'If no one answers the door, they break into these unattended units and steal money, jewellery, gold ornaments and other valuables,' senior Superintendent Edward Leung Ka-ming of Kowloon West regional crime unit said.

'They can complete a raid in 10 to 20 minutes,' he said.

Mr Leung said the gang usually consisted of three people, two wearing suits and one acting as a lookout.

Before the break-in they check security arrangements and try to find out the security codes by watching residents entering the buildings. They also smuggle in equipment like crowbars and hide them in rear staircases.

Investigators do not believe a syndicate is behind the raids and say the culprits may have previous burglary convictions.

Electronic equipment like mobile phones, cameras and notebook computers are understood to end up mostly in shops and markets in Mongkok and Shamshuipo.

Mr Leung said caretakers should be vigilant, and tenants  should lock doors and windows.

Such break-ins have increased in Kowloon West recently, despite  the overall number of burglaries in the area dropping by 13.7 per cent to 1,697 in the first 10 months this year.

Over the past two months, officers have  identified about 30 burglars linked to the break-ins.

In an  operation codenamed 'Expunger', officers arrested 61 people including five mainland visitors on Tuesday. Mr Leung said about 20 were suspected burglars. The others were arrested for handling stolen goods and other offences.

During the  crackdown involving 627 officers, police raided 44 locations  and recovered over $500,000 worth of suspected stolen properties, burglary tools and drugs.

Suspected stolen property included 1,364 mobile phones, 68 cameras, 48 personal digital assistants  and 12 projectors.

During the operation, police also handed out 6,400 leaflets to the public advising them on ways to prevent burglary.

Superintendent Michael Howard said the operation proved very successful and similar raids would be conducted in the future.

Last night, the 61 suspects - 54 men and seven women - were in custody. No charges had been laid.



Crooks in suits stage daylight robberies