Two hotel room robberies in Cotai committed by the same perpetrator

Two hotel room robberies occurred in the Cotai District within the span of an hour yesterday. Three mainland women were victimized by an individual armed with a fruit knife, resulting in the theft of over MOP34,000 worth of cash and belongings.

Tragically, one of the women was also subjected to sexual assault. Local authorities swiftly responded, and within 12 hours of the incidents, the unemployed 25-year-old suspect from mainland China was apprehended in Tanzhou, Zhongshan.

The first robbery took place in the early morning, where the victim and the perpetrator initially encountered each other in the hotel lobby. Subsequently, they proceeded to a hotel room to engage in conversation. At that point the suspect brandished a fruit knife, threatening and assaulting the woman, and then making off with HKD4,000.

The victim reported the crime once the assailant had left. Less than an hour later, the police received another report of a robbery at a different hotel. Two mainland women disclosed that they had exchanged money for gambling with an individual they had just met in their hotel room. The perpetrator, wielding a knife, coerced them to surrender their possessions.

Despite their resistance, the women were subjected to physical violence, resulting in injuries. They were ultimately robbed of HKD5,000 and a gold bracelet valued at approximately MOP25,000. Through investigation, the police established that both robberies were committed by the same individual. In an attempt to evade capture, the suspect changed his attire and fled to the mainland via a border port on the morning of the incidents.

A police spokesperson highlighted the successful arrest of the suspect in Tanzhou, Zhongshan on the same day, with assistance from the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department. This accomplishment underscores the efficiency of the emergency police notification mechanism between the two regions, as well as the resolute determination and capabilities of the authorities in combating cross-border crimes and ensuring public safety. Howard Tong