30-Second Heist Nets 1 Billion Yen, Two Company Employees Robbed at Knifepoint While Exchanging Cryptocurrency in Hong Kong

BlockBeats News, December 23, the Hong Kong police recently announced the latest progress on the Central 10 billion yen (about 50 million Hong Kong dollars) armed robbery case, arresting 15 suspects, including the mastermind behind the scenes, some of whom have a background in organized crime, with 7 individuals formally charged with "conspiracy to commit robbery".

The police stated that the case involved a Japanese company engaged in virtual currency and designer handbag businesses. On the day of the incident (December 18), two company employees carrying 4 suitcases of a large amount of yen cash were planning to exchange the funds for cryptocurrency and Hong Kong dollars through a familiar money changer. However, near the New World Tower in Central, they were swiftly robbed of all cash within 30 seconds by 4 knife-wielding robbers.

The investigation revealed that the robbers had clear division of labor, with some conducting the robbery, some acting as lookouts, some providing vehicles, and swiftly transferring the stolen money by "cross-car" after the incident, demonstrating a sophisticated modus operandi. The police have seized the tools, clothing, and masks used during the crime, but the whereabouts of most of the stolen money are still under investigation. The police emphasized that they believe all suspects have been apprehended and highlighted the security risks faced by high-value cash and cryptocurrency offline exchange scenarios, with the investigation ongoing.