Hong Kong police arrest 5 over shoplifting syndicate targeting Muji stores

Hong Kong police have arrested five people accused of stealing more than 445 items of clothing worth HK$113,000 (US$14,400) from multiple outlets of Japanese retail chain Muji.Officers from Yau Tsim Police District said they had received a string of shoplifting reports since earlier this year that involved large quantities of apparel taken from a retail chain, with a source naming the business as Muji.The Japanese retail chain is known for its minimalist “no-brand quality goods” philosophy.Police said detectives had identified a syndicate as being behind the thefts.The group posted lookouts inside and outside the shops, while other members swiftly stuffed clothing into handbags and reusable bags before leaving, the force added.Each theft lasted only a few minutes, with several outlets sometimes targeted on the same day.Investigators found that the stolen goods were handed to other syndicate members on the same day as each theft, briefly stored in subdivided flats in Mong Kok or Sham Shui Po, then moved out within one to two days.