{
  "id": 8232399,
  "title": "3 Jellycat, Labubu plushie thieves jailed for up to 2 years and 2 months",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/3-jellycat-labubu-plushie-thieves-jailed-for-up-to-2-years-and-2",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T11:03:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3368039/3-jellycat-labubu-plushie-thieves-jailed-2-years-and-2-months"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Three repeat offenders, Tang Lik-ming, 35, a waiter; Wong Wai-chun, 36, a wood painter; and Ho Ka-keung, 33, a part-time warehouse worker, have been jailed for up to two years and two months each for stealing 83 Jellycat and Labubu plushies worth HK$115,200 (US$14,770) from two claw machine shops at Hong Kong's Kwai Chung Plaza. The theft occurred on June 9 and June 12 last year, following the instructions of other suspects who remain at large. Tang and Wong pleaded guilty to burglary charges for their roles in the crimes, while Ho admitted to one count of burglary for driving an accomplice to the scene during the second incident. All three defendants had previous legal troubles, with Ho and Wong serving brief prison sentences in 2024 and 2025, respectively. According to prosecutors, Tang and Wong met outside the shopping centre at around 3am on June 9, using a stolen key to open a claw machine and take 23 Jellycat soft toys. Three days later, they returned with a wanted suspect to steal 60 more plushies, worth HK$92,200 in total. Surveillance footage showed Ho driving the getaway vehicle. The judge, Ada Yim Shun-yee, emphasized that the offences were premeditated and all three defendants were aware of their roles. She sentenced Tang to two years in prison, Ho to two years and two months, and Wong to the same term.",
  "summary": "Three repeat offenders have been sentenced to up to two years and two months behind bars for stealing 83 Jellycat and Labubu plushies worth a total of HK$115,200 (US$14,770) from a Hong Kong shopping centre last year. The District Court heard on Friday that the three men had stolen the popular merchandise from two claw machine shops at Kwai Chung Plaza on the instructions of other suspects who…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
        "title": "3 Jellycat, Labubu plushie thieves jailed for up to 2 years and 2 months",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/3-jellycat-labubu-plushie-thieves-jailed-for-up-to-2-years-and-2-8233982",
        "published": "2026-09-18T11:03:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}