A 97-year-old man is among five people arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of stealing or handling stolen copper water pipes worth more than HK$1 million (US$128,700).
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Police said on Wednesday that they had received reports in January about copper pipes being stolen from parks and alleyways in Wong Tai Sin.
Officers identified two suspects after reviewing hours of surveillance footage and analysing intelligence. The men were believed to be linked to at least 21 cases across the city, involving copper pipes measuring a combined 2.5km.
Police said the suspects scouted locations during the day, armed with tools such as pliers and screwdrivers. At night, they cut the pipes, stashed them in burlap sacks and took taxis to take their loot to a scrap metal shop in Tai Kok Tsui.
Officers arrested two of the suspects, aged 51 and 61, at the shop in the early hours of Tuesday.
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They were both Vietnamese and held a Hong Kong identity card and a recognisance form – a temporary identification document that allows holders to remain in the city but not to work – respectively.