TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed on March 19 that six Indonesian citizens were suspected of being involved in a robbery with sharp weapons at a luxury watch shop in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. The Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong received the information from the Hong Kong Police Force, where the six Indonesians were arrested.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong has requested consular access to meet with the six citizens. The HKPF stated that access would be granted immediately upon completion of the investigation process and upon the consent of the Indonesians.

According to the HKPF, four of the six are being held in the HKPF detention center and two others have been released on bail. The four have given consent, while the other two have not given consent for consular access.

“The Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong continues to coordinate with the HKPF to obtain more complete information, and to ensure that Indonesian citizens are granted consular access to those who have given consent and are entitled to legal assistance under the applicable regulations,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens, Judha Nugraha, said in a statement.

The heist of luxury watch shops has been a frequent occurrence in Hong Kong over the past three years. The HKPF suspects a syndicate is behind the crimes. The latest incident reportedly took place on Foo Ming Street at around 2 p.m. on February 28. Three masked men carrying hammers and machetes stole 25 luxury watches worth about KH$6.12 million or Rp12 billion.

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