A Singaporean man has admitted to using a toy gun to rob a bank in Hong Kong in 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced on 11 March.
According to Hong Kong media outlet Ming Pao, 75-year-old Leong How Seng pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of attempted robbery in the Chinese territory’s High Court.
Source: Ming Pao
Hong Kong police were alerted to a robbery at a China Construction Bank (Asia) branch in Kowloon on 14 April 2022 at around 3.30pm.
At the bank counter, Leong handed an employee a note that read, “We have a gun. Put the money into the bag quickly. If you don’t cooperate, we will shoot.”
He also threatened to kill the employee if they did not count the money.
The employee took out marked banknotes from a special device, triggering an automatic alert to the branch manager, who then reported the incident to the police.
Throughout the robbery, Leong kept the toy gun pointed at the employee.
He then fled the scene with around HK$14,000 (S$2,400) in cash but was arrested at his home seven hours later.
Of the stolen money, he admitted to spending HK$1,000 (S$171) on a bag and HK$7,500 (S$1,286) on rent.
Source: Canva
Further investigations revealed that Leong had also attempted to rob a Mannings pharmacy at Golden Plaza in Mong Kok two years earlier, in July 2020.
On 1 July 2020, at about 8pm, he handed a cashier a note that read, “If you want to live, hand over the money quickly. If not, I will burn you to death with gasoline.”
Surveillance footage showed Leong taking out a lighter and a glass bottle filled with a clear liquid.
However, staff intervened and prevented him from approaching the counter.
As Leong left no fingerprints on the note, he was not immediately identified.
Source: Hong Kong Tourism Board
In the High Court, Leong’s lawyer argued that the toy gun was non-functional.
He also stated that Leong was struggling with financial difficulties and health problems when he committed the crimes.
Additionally, he noted that some of the stolen money had been recovered.
If convicted of robbery, Leong could face life imprisonment.
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Featured image adapted from Ming Pao and gyro on Canva.