When a Hong Kong grave-robbing racket got taken down after eight years, having looted up to 20 coffins in a day
- In October 1999, eight Urban Services Department workers were arrested for stealing valuables from coffins bound for Cape Collinson Crematorium
- The items recovered included gold and silver ornaments, coins, wartime medals, watches, and shoes
“Eight Urban Services Department workers were arrested yesterday for allegedly stealing valuables from coffins bound for Cape Collinson Crematorium,” reported the South China Morning Post on October 27, 1999. “A senior foreman, six craftsmen, a workman and a former craftsman were arrested after a seven-month investigation.
“During a search, Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) officers recovered suspected stolen items including gold, silver and jade ornaments, coins, wartime medals, a Chinese musical instrument, 10 watches and two pairs of shoes. Some tickets from pawnshops near the crematorium were also found.”
On November 2, the Post reported that “an Urban Services Department worker has been charged with conspiring with colleagues to steal valuables from coffins at Cape Collinson Crematorium over eight years. Members of the Provisional Urban Council’s Public Health Select Committee visited the crematorium yesterday.
“‘Family members should be allowed to monitor the process of cremation by television,’ Wong Kwok-hing, deputy chairman of the committee said. ‘Any belongings such as diamonds and gold which cannot be cremated should be given to family members’.
“Eight closed-circuit television sets were installed at the crematorium last month. They operate 24 hours a day and video tapes will be kept for three months.”
