UPDATE (25 May): According to Young Post, the toy store operator issued a full refund and apologised to the family.
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Most parents like bringing their children to toy stores at the mall to treat them to a dose of fun and excitement.
Unfortunately, for one family in Hong Kong, such a shopping trip went awry.
After a five-year-old boy allegedly broke a huge, golden Teletubby figure in a toy shop in Mong Kok, Hong Kong, his family had to compensate the shop a whopping S$5,879.52 (HK$33,600).
Source: Jerry Yuen on Facebook
However, the incident later caused an uproar among netizens.
Dimsum Daily reported that on Sunday (22 May), the five-year-old boy’s parents had taken him to Kk plus, a toy shop in Mong Kok, Hong Kong.
While in the store, the boy accidentally bumped into a 1.8m-tall Teletubby figure worth S$9,237 (HK$52,800).
According to China Press, the boy’s mother was shopping when she suddenly heard a loud thud from behind.
She turned around and noticed that her son had damaged a Teletubby figure.
Source: Jerry Yuen on Facebook
One of the store’s employees then allegedly accused her son of deliberately kicking the toy figure.
Blaming themselves for not educating their child well, both parents promptly scolded the young boy.
They also paid S$5,879.52 (HK$33,600) to the toy shop to compensate for the damage.
After the incident, the mum shared that she received a video clip from someone.
The video showed that her son had leaned back only slightly on the figure before it fell and broke into pieces.
Source: China Press
She later told China Press that she felt the staff had gone overboard by accusing her son of kicking the figure.
Claiming to have been so affected by the incident, she apparently does not dare to visit malls anymore.
The incident later went viral on the Internet, prompting a Kk plus staff member to speak up about the matter.
They claimed that it was not the first time a customer had knocked over and damaged this particular toy figure at their shop.
One netizen likewise pointed out that it was the third time such an incident had happened. There has yet to be any verification of these claims at the time of writing.
According to SET News, another netizen posted a picture taken last year that showed the Teletubby figure standing on a platform surrounded by retractable belt barriers. However, no such barrier was in place at the Mong Kok toy shop.
Source: SET News on Facebook
Some speculated that the figure was “literally placed in the middle of the shop waiting for accidents to happen” so the shop could claim compensation.
Others suggested that the store should be accountable for the damage since anyone who passes by the figure can potentially hit it, including adults.
They also felt sorry for the parents and the young boy who were likely shaken by the incident.
A lawyer who spoke to the Hong Kong media weighed in on the issue, saying that if the child is below 10 years old, neither he nor his family can face charges, noted China Press. The store also should not claim compensation from them.
He stressed that although the family had already paid for the damage, they can request a partial refund.
The shop should also ensure the secure and proper placement of its toy figures by barricading, guarding, or locking them firmly onto the ground.
He added that children may not be aware of or understand the warning signs in front of the toy figure.
The lawyer suggested that the family request verification of the actual value of the toy figure, and not just accept the amount the shop had quoted.
Secondly, they should verify with the store if they had insured the Teletubby figure before negotiating for shared responsibility.
On Tuesday (24 May), Kk plus released a statement on its Facebook page to clarify the incident due to the public outcry.
Source: China Press
According to Dimsum Daily’s translation, they said:
The Tellytubby sculpture has been displayed at the same location since November last year, and it did not cause any inconvenience to the guests. Our company will also re-examine the display safety of all the decorations.
The store also claimed to have dealt with the incident right after it happened and resolved it amicably with both parties’ consent, according to the family’s proposal.
They also shared how they derived the cost of the figure, emphasising that they did not overquote the price.
Kk plus concluded that they would take the initiative to contact the family to follow up on the incident. They will also learn from this experience to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
The Facebook post, however, has been removed at the time of writing.
This incident has most definitely stirred up different reactions and viewpoints.
If the store has indeed settled the issue privately with the family, we hope all is well now.
Nevertheless, this incident can perhaps serve as a reminder to toy stores to take note of the safety of their displays, especially for fragile and expensive items.
As for parents of young children, it is highly advisable to hold on to your young ones while shopping at the malls. That way, unwanted accidents like this can be better avoided.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Jerry Yuen on Facebook and Facebook.
The authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required, MFA said.
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