Yip Kai-foon - No hero!
"In a show of defiance, they fired 54 shots at responding Police Officers before making a swift escape with HK$5.7 million."
Yip Kai-foon, (葉繼歡) notorious robber and gunman, died on 19 April 2017. Paralysed from the waist down, incontinent and wreaked by cancer, his passing attracted much media coverage.
I never met the man, but his actions significantly influenced my approach to my job. In the early 1990s, when I was part of the Emergency Unit Kowloon East, gun crime was rampant. The majority of the perpetrators were ex-military individuals armed with either black star pistols or AK 47s. This situation, largely influenced by Yip’s activities, forced us to adapt our tactics and equipment to effectively combat these threats.
The AK 47, a military-grade weapon, was a constant source of concern. Its firepower far surpassed that of the Royal Hong Kong Police, who were armed with revolvers, shotguns, and the occasional semi-automatic AR-15. This stark imbalance put us at a clear disadvantage.
Tactics, equipment, and firearms needed to evolve to address the threat posed by Yip and his ilk. While he was not the sole contributor to the rise of gun crime, his actions captured the public's attention. An iconic photograph, which I will delve into later, played a significant role in shaping his public image.
Some of the media coverage given to Yip was distasteful. A few sought to portray him as honourable — a gross insult to the many people he harmed. This portrayal not only misrepresented the reality of his actions but also denigrated the valiant police officers who risked their lives to bring him to justice. It's important to remember that this is a man who fired an AK 47 on a busy Hong Kong street while throwing hand grenades to evade capture.
Once wheelchair-bound, paralysed and facing years in jail, he got God. Aimless, isolated in prison and profoundly vulnerable, he was easy pickings for those peddling religion.
Yip started his criminal career in the early 1980s. A series of armed robberies he staged in 1984 brought him to the attention of the Police. Caught in a sting operation in December 1984, he attempted to murder an undercover officer. With his cover blown, the officer had to act fast. Yip had two pistols. After a fierce struggle, Yip was eventually restrained.
Despite being sentenced to jail, Yip's resourcefulness came to the fore in 1989. He cunningly faked an illness that led to his transfer to the hospital. From there, he made a daring escape, evading the authorities and resuming his life of crime.
By June 1991, Yip, displaying his audacity, was back with his gang. In a daring operation, they brazenly robbed five goldsmith shops in one raid on Mut Wah Street, Kwun Tong. In a show of defiance, they fired 54 shots at responding Police Officers before making a swift escape with HK$5.7 million.
Yip's next appearance was marked by a violent spree on 10 March 1992. He robbed two jewellery shops on Tai Po Road, Sham Shui Po, unleashing a hail of sixty-five shots at the Police. In a shocking display of disregard for public safety, they also fired at innocent bystanders.
It is suspected that Yip, orchestrated and led a raid in April 1994 on the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Macau that took a staggering HK$40 million in gambling chips. By 1995, he was operating in Shenzhen, where there is a chilling suspicion he killed two people, one of them a police informer, underscoring the ongoing threat he posed.
I never met the man, but his actions significantly influenced my approach to my job. In the early 1990s, when I was part of the Emergency Unit Kowloon East, gun crime was rampant. The majority of the perpetrators were ex-military individuals armed with either black star pistols or AK 47s. This situation, largely influenced by Yip’s activities, forced us to adapt our tactics and equipment to effectively combat these threats.
The AK 47, a military-grade weapon, was a constant source of concern. Its firepower far surpassed that of the Royal Hong Kong Police, who were armed with revolvers, shotguns, and the occasional semi-automatic AR-15. This stark imbalance put us at a clear disadvantage.
Tactics, equipment, and firearms needed to evolve to address the threat posed by Yip and his ilk. While he was not the sole contributor to the rise of gun crime, his actions captured the public's attention. An iconic photograph, which I will delve into later, played a significant role in shaping his public image.
Some of the media coverage given to Yip was distasteful. A few sought to portray him as honourable — a gross insult to the many people he harmed. This portrayal not only misrepresented the reality of his actions but also denigrated the valiant police officers who risked their lives to bring him to justice. It's important to remember that this is a man who fired an AK 47 on a busy Hong Kong street while throwing hand grenades to evade capture.
Once wheelchair-bound, paralysed and facing years in jail, he got God. Aimless, isolated in prison and profoundly vulnerable, he was easy pickings for those peddling religion.
Yip started his criminal career in the early 1980s. A series of armed robberies he staged in 1984 brought him to the attention of the Police. Caught in a sting operation in December 1984, he attempted to murder an undercover officer. With his cover blown, the officer had to act fast. Yip had two pistols. After a fierce struggle, Yip was eventually restrained.
Despite being sentenced to jail, Yip's resourcefulness came to the fore in 1989. He cunningly faked an illness that led to his transfer to the hospital. From there, he made a daring escape, evading the authorities and resuming his life of crime.
By June 1991, Yip, displaying his audacity, was back with his gang. In a daring operation, they brazenly robbed five goldsmith shops in one raid on Mut Wah Street, Kwun Tong. In a show of defiance, they fired 54 shots at responding Police Officers before making a swift escape with HK$5.7 million.
Yip's next appearance was marked by a violent spree on 10 March 1992. He robbed two jewellery shops on Tai Po Road, Sham Shui Po, unleashing a hail of sixty-five shots at the Police. In a shocking display of disregard for public safety, they also fired at innocent bystanders.
It is suspected that Yip, orchestrated and led a raid in April 1994 on the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Macau that took a staggering HK$40 million in gambling chips. By 1995, he was operating in Shenzhen, where there is a chilling suspicion he killed two people, one of them a police informer, underscoring the ongoing threat he posed.
An above iconic photograph of a robber standing on Nathan Road with an AK 47 has long been associated with Yip. Yet, that robbery on 6 January 1993, during which 30 shots were fired, was not Yip or his gang. Nurse Fung Wai-lin was shot dead and a police wounded in this horrific crime. Despite this being common knowledge, the media rolls out the picture at every mention of Yip.
Despite the millions Yip made from his criminal career, he kept at it. His lifestyle was burning through his pile of loot in no time.
He finally met his match on the evening of 13 May 1996. Trying to sneak into Hong Kong with an AK 47, a pistol and explosives, Yip encountered a Police patrol. When challenged, he produced a gun and began shooting at the officers. He then fled with the officers chasing. The Police returned fire, with Yip hit twice. He sustained injuries to his spine that left him paralysed from the waist down.
Yip's advocates, including politicians, may paint a picture of a compassionate man, but this picture doesn't align with the reality of someone who callously fired an assault weapon at both the Police and the public. Those who echo such sentiments are, in essence, disregarding the suffering of his victims.
Yip's conversion to Christianity came late in his life, and this detail is far from insignificant. It's hard to reconcile the notion of embracing a God when one's entire existence has been about inflicting harm on others. This perspective might unsettle religious zealots who argue that we are all born sinners, with the possibility of redemption through faith. I, however, firmly believe that fundamental human integrity should always take precedence over any religious doctrine.
This conversion is a conceit, supplementing the misplaced hubris that surrounds Yip. Plus, if mental and physical torture is required to effect a conversion, what does that say about religion? Don't forget he spent his final years paralysed, confined to a wheelchair, wearing an adult diaper.
Only then did he seek solace. His grubby ending may have been different had he taken the Lord earlier.
Despite the millions Yip made from his criminal career, he kept at it. His lifestyle was burning through his pile of loot in no time.
He finally met his match on the evening of 13 May 1996. Trying to sneak into Hong Kong with an AK 47, a pistol and explosives, Yip encountered a Police patrol. When challenged, he produced a gun and began shooting at the officers. He then fled with the officers chasing. The Police returned fire, with Yip hit twice. He sustained injuries to his spine that left him paralysed from the waist down.
Yip's advocates, including politicians, may paint a picture of a compassionate man, but this picture doesn't align with the reality of someone who callously fired an assault weapon at both the Police and the public. Those who echo such sentiments are, in essence, disregarding the suffering of his victims.
Yip's conversion to Christianity came late in his life, and this detail is far from insignificant. It's hard to reconcile the notion of embracing a God when one's entire existence has been about inflicting harm on others. This perspective might unsettle religious zealots who argue that we are all born sinners, with the possibility of redemption through faith. I, however, firmly believe that fundamental human integrity should always take precedence over any religious doctrine.
This conversion is a conceit, supplementing the misplaced hubris that surrounds Yip. Plus, if mental and physical torture is required to effect a conversion, what does that say about religion? Don't forget he spent his final years paralysed, confined to a wheelchair, wearing an adult diaper.
Only then did he seek solace. His grubby ending may have been different had he taken the Lord earlier.