HK Police Arrest Man Who Allegedly Swapped Diamond for Fake

(IDEX Online News) – A man from Mainland China was arrested at the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair at the AsiaWorld-Expo site after he allegedly tried to swap a five-carat diamond worth more than $390,000 with a fake stone.

The man, aged 41, was the fifth man from Mainland China arrested since the show started on Monday. The previous four cases involved items valued at $490,000 in total, according to by the South China Morning Post.

"All five suspects came from Hunan province," a police source said. "We are still investigating whether they worked for the same gang."

The source said most Mainland China jewelry thieves arrested in the city were from Hunan.

"We believe they are trained to commit such crimes before coming to Hong Kong to steal," he said. "They usually work in a group of three or four, including lookouts and others who distract staff while the thieves strike."

Police were called in on Wednesday after the man was stopped by a staff member at one of the booths at about noon.

The suspect had been posing as a buyer and asked staff to show him some diamonds, police said.

"An initial investigation showed that he allegedly stole a five-carat diamond worth $390,000 from the booth and replaced it with a fake," a police spokeswoman said.

"As he tried to leave, a staff member suspected that the diamond had been swapped and tried to stop him. Staff then intercepted the man and called the police."

Plainclothes police officers have been deployed at the two venues staging the show, the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai and AsiaWorld Expo.