Hong Kong police urged parents and teachers to help prevent youth crime after 1,580 people ages 10 to 20 were apprehended in the first half of the year, a 20% increase from the same period a year earlier.
Police Commissioner Joe Chow said the rise was driven largely by arrests involving serious assault and wounding, as well as criminal damage.
Officers made 283 arrests in serious assault and wounding cases, an increase of nearly 50% from a year earlier, Chow said. Most of the suspects acted impulsively rather than carrying out planned attacks, he added.
Arrests for criminal damage rose nearly 60% to 140. Some cases involved young people recruited for debt collection activities, including splashing red paint on property.
“They were exploited, they were paid, but they may not be aware that what they did was wrong,” Chow said. “They just think it’s quick money.”
Chow also welcomed government efforts to amend the city’s sexual offense laws, including plans to introduce offenses targeting sexual grooming. He said the proposed changes would strengthen law enforcement efforts.
Sexual grooming is a global problem, Chow said, with predators often approaching young people through online gaming platforms and social media. Offenders may initially show care and concern to gain a young person’s trust before seeking an in-person meeting or requesting nude photographs, he said.
Victims may later be blackmailed with the images, Chow added.
Hong Kong authorities will continue working with overseas law enforcement agencies because some suspected predators operate outside the city, he said.
For the fifth consecutive year, police have published a guide advising parents and teachers on how to protect young people from becoming involved in illegal activity. The booklet, which includes examples drawn from actual cases, will be distributed to more than 1,000 schools across Hong Kong.
Chow said open communication with young people is more important than closely monitoring their social media accounts.
Separately, Chow addressed a recent case in which a taxi driver reported a 19-year-old passenger who was allegedly involved in delivering drugs by mobile arrangement. He said police would seek tougher penalties for organizers who exploit minors to traffic dangerous drugs.
