Canisters containing nearly $ 2 million in banknotes fell into Hong Kong today from an armored remittance vehicle, the door of which was accidentally opened, causing a road frenzy with passers-by and car drivers rushing to take advantage of it.
Traffic came to a standstill on Gloucester Street in central Hong Kong as taxi drivers got out of their vehicles to collect some of the hundreds of banknotes scorethey believed in this busy street.
In images transmitted by TV passers-by are depicted greedily rushing in and becoming one with the crowd that has already gathered at the spot on Christmas Eve.
Police officers, some armed, with helmets and bulletproof vests, grew to the point to block the area.
In total, more than 15,23 million dollars Hong Kong ($1,96 million) were scattered on the street and sidewalk, according to the police.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4H1K699Yew
It is, however, impossible to calculate the amount the police managed to collect and what the passers-by and drivers of the passing vehicles collected.
"Every citizen who finds these banknotes has to deliver them to the police as soon as possible, otherwise they will be theft," the police warned in a press release.
According to police director Wan Siu-chung, the van driver completed his 30 minute journey without realizing that the rear door of the vehicle was open and that boxes containing money were falling on the road.
Only when the vehicle reached its destination "discovered that the door had been opened," Wan said in the press. He explained that the police have launched an investigation based on the serial numbers of the banknotes.
According to experts interviewed on the inside informations, in the event that someone keeps the banknotes, this act is considered theft and carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Source: RES-EAP
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