4 Indonesians convicted in CWB watch shop heist in 2024

Four out of five Indonesian robbers of an armed robbery at a watch shop in Causeway Bay two years ago have been convicted.

They wree slapped with prison sentences ranging from 6 years and 8 months to 7 years and 4 months.

The incident occurred at the end of February 2024. A woman posing as a customer entered a watch shop in Causeway Bay, while two other men and a woman accomplice rushed inside. One threatened a staff member with a knife, another smashed a glass display case with a hammer, and a third looted luxury watches before escaping in a getaway vehicle. Within about one minute, they stole 25 luxury watches with a total value of 6.12 million Hong Kong dollars.

Following an investigation, police arrested two men and two women and recovered part of the stolen property. The male robber responsible for smashing the glass display case remains at large.

The four defendants pleaded guilty to robbery in the High Court. The first and second defendants claimed to be Indonesian domestic helpers. The first defendant was said to have gained no financial benefit from the crime, while the second and third defendants received rewards of 100,000 and 250,000 Hong Kong dollars respectively.

The defense mitigated the man at large had invited the first defendant to participate, but she was completely unaware of the plan's details and is now deeply remorseful.

The second defendant used her 10,000-dollar reward to repay personal debts. The third defendant, who ran a company in Indonesia, also faced tight funds and a severe financial crisis.

Handing down the sentence, the judge says this was a meticulously planned armed robbery carried out in broad daylight, with clear division of labour. Peer pressure and financial stress cannot serve as excuses or mitigating factors for committing the crime.