By Vir B. Lumicao
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| The jewelry store after the robbery in March last year (still photo from TVB footage) |
A Filipino and four Nepalese men entered differing pleas today, Oct. 25, to one count of robbery in connection with a daytime lightning robbery on a jewelry shop in Yuen Long in March last year that netted just over $600,000.
Filipino Mark Jordan Abella, and two of his accused - Raj
Ghale, who was on a wheelchair - and Sanjan Gurung, all pleaded guilty to the
charge before Magistrate Peony Wong in
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The alleged mastermind of the robbery who went by the name “Tyson,” another man named “Kale” and an unnamed driver of the getaway vehicle remain scot-free.
According to the prosecution, the robbers struck at Tai Sun
Jewellery & Gold Shop on the ground floor of Fu Ho Bldg,
Seven gold rings and 71 gold bracelets with a total value of $605,091 were taken by the suspects in the heist that lasted for only 1-2 minutes.
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| Many items of jewelry were left behind after the robbery that lasted no more than 2 minutes |
Only shop workers were there when five men wearing masks and caps, including Ghale Sanjan and Abella, entered the shop. Some of the men were armed with hammers and axes while Abella held a knife.
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Abella announced the robbery and stood guard while the other men whom he identified later as Tyson, Kale, Ghale and Sanjan started smashing the glass cabinets, took the jewelry displays and put them in a black bag. He said he took three rings and put them in the bag.
CCTV footage showed the five getting off a car with license plate JN9585 before they entered the shop. Around 5:55pm, a passer-by saw a car without a number plate at Yau Pok Road, Tai Sang Wai, about 7 km away from the shop. He made a report to the police.
Officers arrived and found a knife, an ax, a hammer, three surgical masks, six plastic gloves, 16 labor gloves and some clothes inside the car. It was then confirmed that the get-away car was reported missing by its owner to the police on Feb 24, 2020.
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The car’s real registration number was VU 8036. The number plate JN9585 used on the get-away car was fake.
The CCTV also captured A. Gurung and the underaged suspect on the rooftop opposite the jewelry shop between 9:57am and 11:12am on the day of the robbery, the prosecution said.
After the robbery, A. Gurung and the under-aged suspect went shopping at Yoho Mall in Yuen Long as captured on CCTV. Police traced their route and checked the membership and credit card transaction records, leading to their identification.
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Ghale was arrested on Jul 29 last year after his fingerprint was lifted from inside a door of the getaway car. He initially denied his role, but admitted it in video-recorded interviews.
Sanjan was arrested on Aug 1, 2020. He admitted his role in the robbery but said he had not received any money.
Abella was arrested on Oct 1 last year. He was silent at first, but at the Yau Ma Tei Police Station, he said, “I was involved in the robbery, I will tell you the truth.”
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In his video-recorded interviews, Abella said his friend Sanjan invited him to do a job in Yuen Long. When they reached Yuen Long station, Abella saw some people including Ghale, Kale and Tyson.
They boarded a grey vehicle driven by an unknown man and stopped in front of a shop. Abella said Sanjan, Ghale, Tyson and Kale rushed in and smashed the glass cabinets.
Abella said he was scared. He stood only inside the shop holding a knife that Tyson had given to him. They then returned to the vehicle. Abella said Tyson threatened him not to tell anyone about the robbery or his family members would be in danger.
For his role, Abella said he received $10,000 from Sanjan as a reward.
Abella identified and confirmed that the five robbers captured on CCTV in the shop were himself, Sanjan, Ghale, Tyson and Kale.
Magistrate Wong said she was satisfied Abella, Ghale and Sanjan admitted their parts voluntarily. She remanded all the defendants in custody until the committal hearing.
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