• Robbers believed to have tailed victim, 60, for 35km before attacking him from behind in underpass
• Two suspects were wearing black clothes, masks and caps at the time of robbery, the force says

Hong Kong police have launched a citywide hunt for two robbers who are believed to have tailed a mainland Chinese traveller for about 35km from Kowloon to the New Territories before assaulting him and stealing his backpack containing HK$3.6 million in cash at a pedestrian underpass.

The robbers struck in the Sheung Shui Wai area off Jockey Club Road in Sheung Shui at around 11.54am on Wednesday, according to the force.

A source familiar with the case said the victim – a 60-year-old man – was taking the money to a relative’s home in a Sheung Shui village at the time of the attack.

“He claimed he earlier collected the cash from a money exchange shop in Tsim Sha Tsui and then took the train to Sheung Shui,” the insider said.

“We believe he was targeted when he left the Tsim Sha Tsui shop and was followed by robbers until they found a quiet place to rob him.”

According to the force, the two robbers attacked the mainlander from behind in the underpass before stealing his backpack containing HK$3.6 million in cash.

A police spokeswoman said the victim was punched and kicked in the broad daylight attack, and no weapon was used in the incident.

She said the traveller complained of feeling dizzy and was taken to North District Hospital in Sheung Shui for treatment.

As of Wednesday afternoon, officers were still searching for the two robbers who are about 1.7 metres to 1.8 metres tall (5.6 to 5.9 feet).

The spokeswoman said the two were wearing black clothes, masks and caps at the time of the hold-up.

Last year, police handled 97 robberies, a 26 per cent increase compared with the 77 cases logged in 2022.

Sources: SCMP