A 32-year-old Algerian factory worker has been remanded after appearing in court over the alleged theft of 1,074 coloured gemstones from an airport hotel lobby in Chek Lap Kok.
The charge alleges that the gemstones were stolen on 13 September from the lobby of a hotel at 9 Cheong Tat Road. They were said to belong to a Sri Lankan jewellery trader.
Ming Pao reported that the trader had been sleeping in the lobby while waiting to check in, and woke to find that the rough gemstones, intended for an exhibition, had gone. The newspaper put their value at approximately HK$900,000, while Star Headline reported a value of more than HK$1 million.
The defendant made his first appearance at a magistrates' court in West Kowloon on 16 September and was not required to enter a plea. The prosecution's application to adjourn the case for further investigation was approved.
The case was adjourned to 11 November. Ming Pao reported that no bail application was made.