Police Have Arrested Three Workers in the Wang Fuk Court Reinforcement Project for Suspected Theft

Three workers have been arrested on suspicion of theft while carrying out reinforcement work at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Photo by Bastille Post

According to the Police, the suspects were assigned to carry out reinforcement work inside a residential unit at Wang Tai House, Wang Fuk Court. Officers discovered seven pieces of jewelry worth approximately HKD $90,000 in their possession and believe the items were stolen while the three men were working at the unit.

Mr. Chung Chi Keung, the Assistant District Commander (Crime) (Tai Po), Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chung Chi Keung, the Assistant District Commander (Crime) (Tai Po), said a series of works are currently underway at Wang Fuk Court, including the demolition of bamboo scaffolding. Reinforcement work is also being carried out in multiple units to ensure the structural safety of the buildings.

Mr. Chung said that at around 1:30 p.m. on March 5, officers on patrol observed three workers—surnamed Yu, 32; Wong, 38; and Cheung, 32—acting suspiciously while carrying out reinforcement work inside a unit at Wang Tai House. During a search, officers recovered seven pieces of jewelry valued at approximately HKD $90,000, which they suspect were stolen from the same unit. The three men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of theft and are currently being detained for questioning.

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Photo by Bastille Post

According to Mr. Chung, the Tai Po District Crime Squad is actively following up on the case. Police have contacted the unit owner, who confirmed that the recovered jewelry belonged to them. The Police believe the items—including gold necklaces and diamond rings—were taken from the bedroom. Although the jewelry showed signs of having been burned, the pieces remained identifiable.

The three suspects had been working in the unit in recent days. Two of them started on February 25, and the third joined on February 28. Police later inspected other units at Wang Fuk Court where the suspects had previously worked, but no further evidence was found.

The three workers were arrested at the scene on suspicion of theft and are currently being detained for questioning. Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chung added that all workers entering the Wang Fuk Court site must register with Police, present their ID, and specify the nature and location of their work. Officers would accompany workers in and out of the buildings and conduct searches upon their departure to check for suspicious items. The buildings are equipped with CCTV, and the doors are secured with chains each day after work ends. When asked whether others may have been involved, Mr. Chung stated that investigators currently believe the three suspects acted alone.

Mr. Chung noted that the Tai Po fire left many residents displaced and, in some cases, grieving the loss of loved ones. Since committing theft while working in a unit under such circumstances is a despicable act, Police strongly condemn such behavior.

Photo by Bastille Post

On the third day, as residents of Wang Sun House were allowed to go upstairs to retrieve their belongings, some elderly residents, despite knowing the hardship, insisted on making the climb to find closure. One resident prepared a folding cane stool for his 70-year-old father so he could rest along the way. Another went upstairs specifically to retrieve the ashes of his beloved cat, bringing flowers to mourn two cats that had perished in the fire.

Mr. Ng, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Ng, who lives on the 25th floor and has lived in Wang Sun House for over 30 years, said that since his father also wanted to go upstairs with him, he specially bought a folding cane stool to let his father rest as he climbed the stairs. "Climbing more than 20 floors of stairs is difficult for me, not let alone for an elderly person," he said. Yet he remained determined: "I'll try to rely on willpower!" In his view, he still hoped to say goodbye to his former unit in person.

The folding cane stool Mr. Ng prepared for his father, Photo by Bastille Post

He added that he would take some photos as mementos and retrieve any items that had not been burned, though he estimated that most had probably been destroyed.

Returning home after several months, Mr. Ng said that while no one in his family was injured, he had lived in Wang Fuk Court for so long and knew that many people had perished in the fire. He admitted that coming back to his former home was not a pleasant experience.

Mr. Ng (leftmost) and his father (right-most) went upstairs to collect their belongings. Photo by Bastille Post

He said he is currently awaiting the investigation results and the subsequent housing arrangements. He noted that he will not know his next destination until the balloting in September. He added that the balloting depends on luck; if his number is not good enough, he may not get his favoured unit, and the next opportunity might not come for another two or three years.

Mr. Mak, Photo by Bastille Post

Another resident of Wang Sun House, Mr. Mak, said what he wanted most was to retrieve the ashes of his beloved cat. He had two cats that perished in the fire. The remains of one cat had already been retrieved from the scene by firefighters. Since the cat's body was "unburnt" and still looked "quite intact", he had a general idea of his unit's condition. As his unit was not badly damaged by the fire, he brought many bags and suitcases upstairs to pack his belongings. If given the chance, he hoped to go upstairs again, knowing he would't be able to finish packing everything in one go. This time, he also brought flowers to mourn his cats.

Ms. Ng, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Ng accompanied her parents upstairs to pack their belongings. Her father could go upstairs, but her mother would not. When asked if the climb would be too hard for her father, Ms. Ng replied, "There's no other way." Having lived in Wang Sun House for so many years, going upstairs to bid farewell to their former unit was a wish for her father. She also mentioned that, since they bought the unit themselves, they all had a deep emotional attachment to it. She mentioned that her parents had practiced climbing the stairs, and their main goal was to pack up their belongings. She added that her mother was naturally upset that she couldn't go upstairs, but Ms. Ng said she would take videos on her phone to show her mother and ask her what she wanted to retrieve.

Residents of Wang Sun House went upstairs to collect their belongings. Photo by Bastille Post