HONG KONG – Thieves stole $ 645 million worth of handicrafts from a Hong Kong apartment while the owner was in China. Then they got out of the taxi.

Among the stolen items were 24,000 vintage stamps, 10 bronze coins and seven calligraphy scrolls, according to owner Fu Chunxiao.

Most of the stolen items were missing, but a three-yard measuring scroll found its way to a buyer before police could make a purchase. It was not in its original state.

“He found the calligraphy piece too long and difficult for viewers to display, so he cut it in two,” Superintendent of Police Ho Chun-tung told reporters this week, referring to the person who bought the stolen scroll. “It remains to be seen whether he knows the authenticity and value of calligraphy.”

Police said the case was put on hold when the cab driver, who had taken the men away on the day of the robbery in September, came forward with information. The 44-year-old accused was charged by police with stealing only Woo. A 47-year-old man has been arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of burglary.

The man, identified as 49-year-old Lin, was arrested last month. He was charged with handling stolen goods. He paid only $ 65 for the scroll, according to local news agencies.

Collector Mr. Fu said South China Morning Post The newspaper said he was devastated by the robbery and the scroll damage. He said it was the most valuable of the stolen property. Fu said his total loss was $ 645 million.

“It was a heart attack to have it torn in two,” he says of the scroll. “It will definitely affect its value, but its impact remains to be seen.”

A police spokesman said by phone that the value of the scroll had not been determined independently by authorities. Auctions dealing with Chinese art did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

According to local news reports, Mr. from Sichuan Province. Fu could not be reached immediately. He is known as a collector of items from the Mao period. In 2018, Mr. Fu organized a Hong Kong exhibition of 200 stamps bearing the face of Mao. (Mao, the founding father of the People’s Republic of China, served as chairman of the Communist Party from 1949 until his death in 1976.)

Authorities are looking for two other suspects. Police said all three people arrested so far were from key Chinese territories.

Robberies have recently increased in Hong Kong, from 786 cases in 2019 to 1,156 in the first half of 2020. Police Statistics. Robberies quadrupled, from 44 cases in 2020 to 186 in the first six months of 2020.

The official residence of the Australian Consul General was demolished last Friday. In June, two men scaled 19 stories of 19 bamboo scarfolding to steal a safe deposit box in a wealthy area of ​​Hong Kong. In September, a gang robbed someone Millions of dollars were carried in his bag.

Senior Superintendent of Police Mr. Ho said robbers in Chinese territory often target homes. But they are not limited to high commercial value items.

With the onset of the corona virus outbreak in February, consumers bought toilet paper in large quantities, fearing it would run out. Three masked robbers stole more than $ 100 worth of toilet paper Picking up a deliveryman with a knife point outside a supermarket.