A mainland man has been arrested for attempting to rob a casino of HK$2 million by claiming to be carrying a “bomb” in a plastic bag, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said during a press conference yesterday.
The 53-year-old suspect surnamed Zhao told the police that he’s jobless.
According to Lei, Zhao went to a casino in Cotai at noon on Saturday and placed a plastic bag on a casino cage’s counter, telling the cashier that the plastic bag contained an explosive device. He demanded the staff hand over HK$2 million in cash.
The staff immediately notified the security guard, who subdued the suspect and discovered that the bag merely contained a power bank. During the altercation, Zhao punched and injured one of the security guards in the eye.
Lei noted that the suspect had gambled away his money in local casinos several years ago.
Zhao has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing robbery and bodily harm charges, Lei said.
