Woman arrested over alleged theft of panda installation from Hong Kong Christmas exhibition
Hong Kong Free Press
A 37-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of stealing a panda installation, one of two reported missing from a Christmas exhibition set up in Kwun Tong.
Wai Chi-sing, the managing director of Urban Renewal Authority (URA), said on an official blog on Sunday that the URA had installed 80 pandas of varying sizes at the Kwun Tong Free Space, attracting many visitors to take photos. However, Wai added, two of the pandas had disappeared.
After checking surveillance cameras, the URA suspected theft and reported the missing pandas to the police.
Police on Sunday said that they had received a report last Thursday evening from a security guard, who said that a panda installation, which was worth around HK$100, had gone missing.
Two days later, a 37-year-old woman from China, who is staying in Hong Kong with a two-way travel permit, was arrested in Sau Mau Ping.
Separately, another report of a missing panda, also worth HK$100, was filed to the police last Monday. Police are yet to arrest any suspects linked to this incident.
In Hong Kong, first conviction of theft can see up to 10 years imprisonment.
Panda economy
Hong Kong has sought to boost a “panda economy” since panda twins were born to Ying Ying and Lok Lok, two pandas who had been living in the Ocean Park since 2007, in August. The following month, Beijing gifted two five-year-old pandas – An An and Ke Ke – to Hong Kong in September.
Apart from the panda installations in Kwun Tong, creative brand AllRightsReserved organised exhibitions of 2,500 pandas in public areas in December.
Additionally, travel agency China Travel Service organised a Hello Pandas Carnival, which started last Wednesday and will last until December 22. It features two floating pandas in Victoria Harbour, as well as public markets and performances.
In late November, Ocean Park, which is home to Hong Kong’s six pandas, said it would “capitalise on the presence of six giant pandas in the park to drive citywide excitement” and therefore increase visitor numbers amid a huge deficit.
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