Hong Kong police arrest 2 tourists over graffiti on MTR Corp train carriages

Hong Kong police apprehended two tourists at the airport, suspected of breaking into an MTR Corporation depot and vandalizing train carriages with graffiti. The incident occurred early Thursday, when the men allegedly breached the depot by cutting barbed wire surrounding its walls. The two men, a 34-year-old Australian and a 30-year-old American, are alleged to have sprayed each carriage with a graffiti design spanning five meters by one meter in green, yellow, and pink hues.

Chief Inspector Chan Chi-leung stated that police utilized extensive CCTV footage and intelligence analysis to apprehend the suspects six hours after the initial report at approximately 8 PM the same day. The pair, who were waiting to board a flight, were identified and taken into custody. They left behind nine cans of spray paint, a wooden ladder, and two high-visibility vests as they fled towards Shing Tai Road after scaling a three-meter-high wall.

The Hong Kong police emphasized that the act of criminal damage, as well as trespassing on railway premises, are serious offenses under the Crimes Ordinance, with conviction potentially resulting in up to ten years of imprisonment. The South China Morning Post reached out to the Australian and US consulates-general, as well as MTR Corporation, for further comment.