Four former Hong Kong warehouse workers have been jailed for up to seven years for conspiring to steal more than 800 unsold Chanel handbags and wallets worth at least HK$8.7 million (US$1.1 million).
The High Court on Monday sentenced the four defendants over two foiled plots to steal from the French fashion house’s storage spaces at the Goodman Interlink warehouse in Tsing Yi between June 2016 and February 2017.
The 691 handbags and 123 wallets were obsolete merchandise from Chanel’s 2014-15 season, awaiting disposal under the company’s policy of protecting the exclusivity of its products.
Warehouse supervisor Ng Yiu-lun, 42, revealed to his accomplices the password for operating a lift used by Chanel staff to move goods in and out of the facility.
Happy Ho Tung-shan, 35, and Ho Tsz-yin, 41, first attempted to steal 90 outdated handbags in 2016 by hiding them in a concealed area of the warehouse instead of destroying them in line with protocol.
Security staff later found the items but did not report the case to police.