Police in Hong Kong are searching for a 42 year old domestic helper after valuables worth more than HK$206,000 were reported missing from a residential flat in the Deep Water Bay area.
The theft was reported on Monday afternoon after a 47 year old man, identified by police by his surname Chan, discovered that two watches, a tablet computer and cash had disappeared from his home at 7 Shouson Hill Road.
According to the police report, the missing items have a combined estimated value of about HK$206,000. The most expensive item was a watch worth approximately HK$140,000, while a second watch was valued at about HK$60,000. A tablet computer worth around HK$3,000 and HK$3,000 in cash were also reported missing.
Chan contacted police at about 4.30pm on Monday to report the suspected theft. Officers subsequently opened an investigation into how the valuables disappeared from the flat.
Police Search for 42 Year Old Domestic Helper
Police are now looking for a 42 year old female domestic helper in connection with the case. Authorities have not announced whether she was employed directly by the household or through an agency, nor have they provided further details about her background.
No arrest had been made at the time of the report.
The case has been classified as theft and has been assigned to the crime investigation team of the Western police district. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the valuables and working to establish how the items were removed from the property.
Police have not disclosed whether there were signs of forced entry or whether investigators believe the person being sought had legitimate access to the flat.
Those details could become important as detectives work to establish a timeline and determine when the valuables were last seen.
High Value Watches Among Missing Items
The two watches account for almost the entire reported value of the stolen property.
The watch valued at HK$140,000 represents the largest single loss. The second watch, estimated at HK$60,000, brings the combined value of the two timepieces to approximately HK$200,000.
The remaining reported losses included a tablet computer valued at HK$3,000 and HK$3,000 in cash.
The case illustrates why high value personal items can become a major focus of police investigations when they are reported missing from private residences. Watches can be expensive, portable and relatively easy to remove from a property.
Investigators may need to establish not only who had access to the home but also whether the watches or other property have subsequently been sold, transferred or taken outside the district.
Investigation Underway
The Western police district crime investigation team is handling the case. Detectives will examine the information provided by the complainant and any available evidence that could help identify the person responsible.
Investigators may seek information about the movements of people who entered or left the building around the time the valuables were believed to have disappeared. Security footage, building access records and statements from residents or staff could assist the inquiry if such evidence is available.
At this stage, police have not publicly stated when the missing property was last seen. That means the precise timing of the alleged theft has not been established.
The difference between the time the property was last known to be present and the time it was reported missing can be significant in residential theft investigations. A longer window may require detectives to examine the movements of several people who had access to the premises.
Police have also not said whether any of the missing property has been recovered.
No Arrest Made
The investigation remains ongoing, and the 42 year old woman sought by police has not been reported arrested.
A police search does not by itself establish that a person has committed an offence. Investigators must establish the circumstances surrounding the missing property and gather sufficient evidence before any prosecution can proceed.
The case is currently being treated as theft while detectives continue their inquiries.
For the household involved, the financial loss is concentrated largely in the two watches, which together were valued at about HK$200,000. The additional cash and tablet brought the reported total to more than HK$206,000.
Anyone who may have information relevant to the investigation should consider contacting Hong Kong police.
Could information from residents, building staff or others who were in the Shouson Hill Road area help investigators establish what happened to the missing valuables?