Some of the evidence seized by Hong Kong police in a recent robbery case involving a total of 1 billion yen ($6.4 million) was exhibited at a media briefing on December 22, 2025. Photo: Sing Tao Daily

 
The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) briefed the media on Monday on a major robbery incident occurred in Sheung Wan in which a total of 1 billion yen ($6.4 million) was stolen, saying that the police have so far arrested 15 people on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery, including the mastermind and all the perpetrators who carried out the attack, according to local media reports. However, the stolen cash has yet to be recovered, the police said. 

At around 9 am on December 18, two employees of a Japanese company engaged in cryptocurrency and luxury goods planned to exchange about 1 billion yen, or roughly HK$50 million, at a money exchange shop. When they arrived outside No. 33 Wing Lok Street, a private car suddenly appeared and three robbers jumped out. One of them brandished a 20-centimeter-long meat cleaver to threaten the victims and seized four suitcases containing the cash, said police superintendent Sin Kwok-ming, local media RTHK reported. 

Sin said at the media briefing that the private car later stopped nearby, where the four suitcases were transferred to another seven-seater vehicle, while the original private car was abandoned on Jervois Street.

According to the HKPF, the robbery syndicate carefully planned the crime, lying in wait before carrying it out. Once the victims appeared, the suspects moved in immediately to commit the robbery. The operation was highly skilled and took only about 30 seconds, Ming Pao reported. 

The cooperation between the two groups of robbers in transferring the stolen cash from one vehicle to another was described as highly efficient, indicating clear and detailed division of labor, with different members responsible for surveillance, execution of the crime, and other roles, according to Monday's media briefing. 

After several days of investigation, police arrested 11 men and four women, including all the robbers who carried out the attack on the day of the crime. Some of the suspects are believed to have triad backgrounds, but the stolen money has not been recovered, according to the Sing Tao Daily. 

When asked whether the suspects knew the victims personally and how the robbers knew in advance that the victims would be carrying a large number of Japanese yen to a money changer, Sin said the matter is still under investigation and that further arrests cannot be ruled out, according to Ming Pao.

Police also arrested a 43-year-old man from the Chinese mainland outside the Shun Tak Centre in Sheung Wan on the day of the incident. Sin said subsequent investigations found that the man was not closely connected to the robbery, but as some suspected "Part I poisons" and foreign currency were found on him, further investigation is still required.