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Forty people who helped the Police fight crime were commended at the Good Citizen Award (GCA) Presentation Ceremony today (November 5).
One of the awardees received the Good Citizen of the Year Award (GCYA) while the others received the GCA. With their help, more than 40 people were arrested for a variety of offences including robbery, burglary, theft, indecent assault, deception and criminal damage.
The Award, presented twice a year, is organised by the Police Public Relations Branch with sponsorship from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC).
Mrs Poon Yam Wai-chun, winner of the GCYA, helped Police arrest a swindler.
In March this year, Mrs Poon received a call from a man claiming to have held her son for failing to repay a debt as a guarantor. The man demanded her to pay for the release of her son. Mrs Poon suspected that it was a telephone deception. She held the line with an excuse of getting money and made a report to the Police with another telephone. With her assistance, Police arranged a meeting and ambushed in the vicinity where they arrested the swindler. The man was subsequently jailed for 32 months.
Mrs Poon was presented with a plaque and a cash award of $3,000. All other GCA winners each received a certificate and a cheque of $2,000.
One of the GCA winners is a 11-year-old boy, Lee Wing-kwong, who with another awardee, Mr Ng Chik-sum, helped the Police arrest a thief.
In April this year, the boy was playing with his cousin in a playground in Sau Mau Ping where a man approached his cousin and wanted to borrow her mobile phone. While the girl hesitated, the man snatched her mobile phone and fled. The boy chased after the man and requested assistance from Mr Ng, who was just passing by. The duo succeeded in intercepting the man who was subsequently convicted of theft and sentenced to the drug addiction treatment centre as well as to pay a compensation of $2,500 to the girl.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Tang King-shing, commended the good citizens for helping Police fight crime and maintain law and order. He also thanked the HKGCC for supporting the GCA scheme, noting the scheme was a good example of engaging the community.
Other officiating guests included Vice-chairperson of Manpower Committee of the HKGCC, Mr Matthias Li, and member of the Fight Crime Committee, Dr John Tse Wing-ling.
Mr Li said that the Chamber, advocating a Police-community partnership in combating crime, had sponsored the GCA scheme since 1973. He looked forward to continuing promote the spirit of courage through the scheme and maintaining Hong Kong one of the safest cities in the world.
Police Report No. 24
Ends/Friday, November 5, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:34
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