More and more people around the world are getting worried about the circulating coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but it seems that the people of Hong Kong are especially worried about it. Various grocery items have run out in Hong Kong markets and it has gone so far that a robbery happened because of it earlier today.
According to hk01.com, hundreds of toilet paper rolls were delivered to 97 Mong Kok Road at 6AM today. Since the store didn’t open until 7AM, the delivery men set down the items outside of the store first. Then, in just 15 minutes; three men in hats and masks came towards the delivery men, one of which had two sharp knives in his hands.
The men then placed the toilet paper rolls into a grocery cart and into a car. In total, it is estimated that 50 packs or 600 toilet paper rolls were stolen, which were worth more than S$179.
The latest updates from the South China Morning Post say that the police eventually found a suitcase that they believe belonged to one of the men involved in the robbery and have since then already arrested two of the men involved. The police are still looking for the third suspect. As for the stolen toilet paper rolls, they were found in a guest house near the supermarket that they were stolen from.
This incident comes after people spent weeks panic-buying goods in supermarkets all around the city after rumours sparked that there would soon be a lack of supplies because of the coronavirus.
Barrister Albert Luk Wai-hung thinks toilet paper could become valuable items because of the supply issues; but what makes the situation more serious is the fact that the men were armed and seem to have premeditated the robbery.
Toilet paper aside, the citizens of Hong Kong have also been rushing to buy rice and face masks in fear of running out. Other countries have also resorted to panic-buying every since the virus epidemic, including Singapore. After the coronavirus alert level was raised to orange last week, some Singaporeans have resorted to panic-buying of essential items, including instant noodles and toilet paper rolls.
