Three men aged 16 to 24 were arrested for criminal damage and theft last Friday (Feb 3) for trashing a Happy Valley cafe newly opened by Gordon Ip Wang-sing, a member of local boyband Bird of Paradise (BOP).
The three South Asians were wielding hammers when they stormed into the cafe on San Tsuen Street in Tai Hang, Happy Valley, and wreaked havoc on Thursday night as the cafe first opened for business.
One of the attackers also grabbed the phone of a 28-year-old worker surnamed Lau who was recording what happened.
On Friday, police located where the attackers’ car was parked and ambushed and arrested two of them. Officers then arrested the remaining attacker after further investigations.
Officers also raided the attackers’ homes and seized the clothes they were wearing during the crime.
Two of them have been charged with criminal damage already, while their motive has yet to be determined.
Preliminary investigation suggested the trio were ordered and paid to wreak havoc at the cafe and the case didn’t involve collection of protection fee. Still, police haven’t ruled out the possibility that triad members are the mastermind behind.
The cafe styled in black and white is co-run by Ip and singer Alley Chan Lok-yiu, member of disbanded girl group Freeze. It is understood that the two have spent a seven-figure sum into the business.
