Hong Kong police have arrested a 21-year-old student and a jobless 19-year-old on suspicion of deliberately causing more than 120 traffic accidents across the city in “crash-for-cash” scams, racking up more than HK$1 million (US$127,570) in fraudulent compensation.
Chief Inspector Tam Tsz-wai of the New Territories North regional crime unit said officers suspected the pair were linked to 123 staged traffic accidents between May last year and this July.
“We believe the 21-year-old was the mastermind and recruited the 19-year-old. They were both smooth operators of the crime, creating many accidents across different locations in the city,” Tam said.
Officers seized vehicles used in the accidents, Tam added, without disclosing the exact number.
Investigations suggested the pair caused collisions at roundabouts, bends on narrow roads and lane-cutting blind spots across the city, before demanding money from drivers.
“There were 34 days when the two suspects were involved in two or more traffic accidents on the same day,” Tam said.
