Tai Po fire: Industrial workers’ union urges gov’t to return residents’ belongings after suspected theft

An industrial workers’ union has urged the government to return the belongings stolen from Wang Fuk Court to the rightful owners after a suspected jewellery theft at the fire-hit estate.

Wang Fuk Court residential buildings after the fire. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

Chau Sze-kit, chair of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, spoke on RTHK on Tuesday morning after three industrial workers were arrested last week for allegedly stealing seven pieces of jewellery from a flat in Wang Tai House, the block with the largest number of casualties.

Chau suggested that government social workers could check with Wang Fuk Court residents what possessions they left in their flats, and authorities could return the belongings to the residents while reinforcement works are ongoing.

Wang Fuk Court, a government-subsidised housing estate in Tai Po, is undergoing building reinforcement works ahead of the government’s plans to allow residents to return to their flats to retrieve belongings.

According to police, the suspects were among the industrial workers who carried out the reinforcement works.

However, Wang Fuk Court resident Jason Kong disagreed. He told HKFP over the phone on Tuesday that he would prefer not to have his belongings documented and collected by the police or any government staff.

“What if something is missing? Who would be responsible?” Kong said.

He urged authorities to ensure that reinforcement works are completed as soon as possible so residents can quickly return to their homes.

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on December 10, 2025. Photo: Kelly Ho/HKFP.

Following the arrests, police announced they would tighten security checks starting Monday.

Under the new measures, workers must store their valuables – like watches and jewellery – in lockers before entering Wang Fuk Court, and they will not be allowed to bring more than HK$500 in cash.

Upon leaving, workers will be subject to a body search using metal detectors.

The Wang Fuk Court blaze broke out in late November, engulfing seven of the estate’s eight blocks and killing 168 people. It was Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in nearly eight decades.