Hong Kong restaurant belonging to famed culinary Good Samaritan, known for feeding the poor of Sham Shui Po, burgled
- Police say a masked man broke into the eatery and fled with HK$2,000 in coins just before dawn on Wednesday
- Chan Cheuk-ming, 68, became a local charity icon for his efforts in providing free box meals to the elderly and homeless
Hong Kong’s culinary Good Samaritan, Chan Cheuk-ming, was the victim of a burglary on Wednesday after a masked intruder broke into his restaurant and fled with HK$2,000 (US$258) in coins just before dawn.
The burglary took place at Chan’s Pei Ho Counterparts restaurant on Tai Nam Street in Sham Shui Po – one of the oldest and poorest districts in the city.
Affectionately known as Ming Gor or older brother Ming, the 68-year-old restaurateur is a local charity icon for his efforts feeding the homeless and elderly residents.
Security cameras captured the burglar, wearing a surgical mask, entering the premises by prising open its rear door shortly before 4.30am.
“Video footage showed the robber used a meat cleaver to break open a drawer and steal about H$2,000 in coins,” a police source said.
The man left via the same route about 45 minutes before Chan returned and found it had been ransacked.
After receiving a report from Chan at 5.19am, officers scouted the area, but no arrest was made.
According to the force, the burglar is about 1.7 metres tall and of medium build. He was wearing a black jacket and white shoulder bag at the time of the raid.
As of 12.30pm, the manhunt was still under way. Detectives from the Sham Shui Po criminal investigation unit are handling the case.
Ming Gor on feeding Hong Kong’s homeless and why he’ll never turn a profit
The district is also a tourist hotspot because of its local street food and cheap electronic goods.
The restaurant owner and his team of volunteers distribute free boxed meals to underprivileged elderly residents, those living alone at public housing estates, other needy in the district as well as street sleepers in Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei and Jordan.
“Pei Ho’s owner Ming Gor is a true local hero. He came up with different ways to help those in need in Sham Shui Po, first by offering meal vouchers for his restaurant and eventually by handing out free lunchboxes,” the Hong Kong Tourism Board said on its website.
“The restaurant serves cha chaan teng staples such as noodles and rice sets. These may be simple but they’re also the sort of food that feeds the soul.”
In Hong Kong, police handled 2,095 reports of burglary across the city in 2020, a 12.5 per cent drop from 2,394 in 2019. There were 1,575 reported break-ins in 2018.
