Australian man arrested twice in Hong Kong over imitation firearm and alleged damage
Hong Kong police arrested a 36-year-old Australian man after he allegedly carried an air gun into a Yau Ma Tei bar. Officers later arrested him again after police said he damaged a wall inside the detention facility. The case is being investigated by the district crime team.
Hong Kong police have arrested a 36-year-old Australian man on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm after he allegedly carried a gun-like object near a bar in Yau Ma Tei. Police were alerted at 10.14pm on Wednesday when a passer-by reported a person behaving suspiciously near an alley at 213 Shanghai Street. The man then allegedly entered a bar at 192 Temple Street with the object, prompting a second report.
Officers who arrived at the bar seized what police identified as an air gun and arrested the man on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm. A source familiar with the case said the man smelled of alcohol when he was arrested. While being held at Yau Ma Tei police station, the suspect allegedly became agitated and smashed a wall beside a smoke detector inside the detention facility.
Police arrested him a second time on suspicion of criminal damage. The Yau Tsim district crime investigation team is handling the case. The source material does not state whether the man has been charged or appeared in court.
Under Hong Kong law, possession of an imitation firearm carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail. Criminal damage is punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
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