Hong Kong, Jan 31 (NationPress) Six individuals have been apprehended for the theft of 51 million Yen (approximately 330,000 US dollars) in cash at Sheung Wan on Friday, as reported by the Hong Kong Police Force on Saturday.

The arrested suspects include five men and one woman, aged between 23 and 52, and are being held on suspicion of robbery, with further arrests anticipated.

According to police, on Friday morning, two staff members from a Japanese precious metal company were transporting 190 million Yen in cash for currency exchange along Des Voeux Road Central in Sheung Wan when two men seized a backpack containing 51 million Yen from them. The assailants made their escape in a getaway vehicle.

About six hours post-incident, law enforcement apprehended the two alleged robbers, who are of Japanese nationality, along with a female accomplice, at the Hong Kong International Airport, in possession of 4.6 million Yen of the stolen cash, according to a report by Xinhua. Additionally, two male employees from a cryptocurrency exchange were later arrested on suspicion of aiding in the disposal of the stolen money.

The police also managed to locate another 7 million Yen at a money exchange.

A 27-year-old Japanese man who reported the theft was later detained after police investigations indicated he may have been the alleged inside man. His inconsistent statements raised suspicions, particularly regarding the precise timing of the robbery.

Further investigations by Japan's Kyodo News Agency revealed that one of the victims, a 27-year-old who initially reported the crime, was actually an accomplice who provided inside information.

According to Superintendent Sam Sin, "The perpetrators appeared to have a profound understanding of the victims' driving routes and arrival times." As of Saturday afternoon, authorities had recovered approximately 11 million Yen and were not ruling out additional arrests.

The Japanese Consulate General in Hong Kong confirmed that its nationals were victims of a crime but refrained from disclosing further details.

The area is populated with currency exchange shops. In December, employees from a Japanese luxury goods company were robbed of around 1 billion Yen in cash while en route to exchange currency, as reported by Kyodo News Agency.

Seventeen individuals from Hong Kong have been detained, but the cash has not yet been recovered. The police have indicated they do not currently see any connection between the December robbery and this latest incident.