2nd November 2023 – (Hong Kong) Hong Kong’s soaring fuel prices have led to a surge in fuel thefts, with shipping containers becoming prime targets for thieves. The current price for diesel stands at approximately HK$22.9 per liter, or HK$20.9 with discounts applied. For drivers filling up a shipping container with a capacity of 400 litres, it would cost them nearly HK$8,000. Recognizing the lucrative black market value of stolen fuel, criminals have taken to raiding fuel tanks during the early hours of the morning.
In the early hours of Wednesday (1st November), at 12.39am, a medium-sized truck driver parked his vehicle on Tsing Ko Road in Tsing Yi for a rest. Suddenly, a light truck approached and stopped in front of a shipping container truck. The driver of the light truck then exited his vehicle and walked towards the fuel tank of the container truck, attempting to siphon off the fuel. The driver of the medium-sized truck immediately intervened, shouting at the thief and reporting the incident to the authorities. Faced with failure, the fuel thief abandoned the scene and fled. Law enforcement officers arrived at the location and discovered a hose left behind on the ground near the light truck, along with several oil barrels inside the truck bed. After investigation, the case was classified as “theft from within a vehicle,” but no arrests have been made thus far.
In another incident on the same day, at around 11am, a suspected fuel theft occurred at Tai Po Industrial Estate on Dai Fat Street in Tai Po. The driver of a shipping container truck, which was parked by the roadside, returned to his vehicle only to find the fuel tank valve open and the lock missing. Suspecting fuel theft, the driver promptly reported the incident for assistance. According to industry insiders, numerous fuel thefts targeting trucks have occurred recently across various districts in Hong Kong, including the northern New Territories areas of Yuen Long, Tuen Mun, Lau Fau Shan, and Tai Po Industrial Estate. They have urged truck drivers to securely lock their fuel tank covers after parking to deter potential thieves.
The post Rampant fuel thieves targeting shipping containers in recent crime spree appeared first on Dimsum Daily.
English (US) ·