Police dismiss claims on robberies by South Asians

Police have dismissed claims made in some online audio clips about purported robberies by knife-wielding South Asians.

There is no truth in the allegations that "fake refugees" are accosting people with knives and robbing them, a senior Yuen Long police official told Sing Tao Daily.

In the 11 months since January last year, there were 31 cases of robbery in Yuen Long. Of those cases, only six were perpetrated by non-Chinese, Fok Lok-sang, commander of the Yuen Long district police, was quoted as saying.

The comments came after Yuen Man-yee, district councilor of Yuen Long Shui Pin Wai Estate, said she had received queries from locals regarding audio messages being circulated on social media.

In one clip that went viral through WhatsApp, a man is heard saying that there are at least two to three cases every day of robberies by knife-wielding South Asians and that the "situation has gone out of control".

The robberies are taking place on the streets of Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan, and are being carried out by South Asians who have fraudulently claimed refugee status in the city, he says.

The man added that the "fake refugee" problem in Hong Kong has been spinning out of control.

In another clip, a woman is heard saying that one of her friends was robbed by a South Asian while crossing a street in Yuen Long.

After the audio messages were brought to his notice, district councilor Yuen asked the police if there was any truth in those claims.

It was then the police dismissed the allegations.

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