Justice Served in Toilet Paper Heist

 

Today there were 24 new coronavirus cases, and tonight there are lockdowns in several buildings near Ursus Fitness in Sai Ying Pun where the latest cluster has evolved to 109 so far. If the gym cluster continues to expand, Hong Kong could be in its fifth wave.

But way back when the pandemic first began last January, there was an unfounded rumour that the border between China and Hong Kong would shut down and what did people really need? Toilet paper!

Then the hoarding began, with people fighting over bog rolls in the supermarket and soon retail establishments had to set a limit of two packs per person.

Toilet paper were stolen from this Wellcome

And then the heist happened -- at 6am on February 17 last year, 600 rolls of Virjoy toilet paper worth HK$1,695 (US$217) were stolen at knife point by three masked men at at Wellcome supermarket in Mongkok.

The delivery driver who was threatened with the knife later called the police, who managed to recover all 600 rolls the same day in two locations near the supermarket. The three men were arrested soon after.

Fast forward to March 11, and the trio were sentenced to 40 months in jail each for robbery. 

Warehouse worker Ho Chi-leung, 27, transport worker Lee Yan-to, 34, and steel bender Lee Yip-tong, 30, pleaded guilty and in mitigation expressed remorse. Ho apologized to the delivery man.

The stolen goods were quickly recovered by police

While their defense lawyers said the robbery was not elaborate and did not involve valuables, and the stolen goods were recovered, Deputy District Judge David Cheung Chi-wai said the stolen goods could not be valued by their nominal price because of the circumstances at the time.

The judge also noted the three worked together and were equipped, which suggested they had a plan, albeit a simple one.

Justice served.