Two foreign men were arrested at Hong Kong International Airport on Wednesday night after police received a report of an alleged intrusion and graffiti at the Chai Wan MTR depot, according to police. The arrests took place at about 8pm, roughly six hours after the report was made.
Police said they received the report at about 2pm after MTR staff noticed suspicious activity. The men allegedly damaged the security wiring on the depot fence, entered the site and painted graffiti on a parked train. Reports differ on the number of carriages or graffiti pieces involved.
Police reviewed closed-circuit television footage and conducted intelligence analysis before tracing the suspects to the airport, where they were arrested in the restricted area of the departure hall on the same day.
Reports said the men were aged 30 and 34 and were preparing to travel to the United States and Australia. One was reported to have said he worked in renovation, while the other said he was an e-commerce manager. The reports did not establish their nationalities or confirm their identities.
According to police-related reporting, investigators believe the men may have cut the fence’s security wire and climbed over it. Nine cans of spray paint, a wooden ladder and two reflective vests were reportedly found at the scene. Police also found clothing suspected to have been worn during the alleged offence in the men’s luggage.
Police said the two men were being detained on suspicion of criminal damage. Their alleged motive remains under investigation, and it was not clear whether they had been formally charged or what further legal proceedings would follow.