Coronavirus: armed robbery of toilet paper in Hong Kong, a commodity that has become rare

Text by: Florence de Changy Follow

In the midst of a coronavirus epidemic, part of the Hong Kong population panicked and rushed not only on rice, but also on tissues and toilet paper. It is so in demand that the police are looking for the thieves of a truck full of them.

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From our correspondent in Hong Kong,

It is not for a shipment of banknotes or gold bars that a Hong Kong delivery man was robbed with knives by three men, this Monday morning, while he was unloading what to re-order the empty shelves of a Wellcome supermarket. It seems it is for the few thousand rolls of toilet paper he brought.

Admittedly, the scene took place in Mongkok, one of the popular districts where the triads (the local mafias) still reign, but it especially illustrates the panic which in certain cases turned into hysteria of a part of the Honkongese population.

For the past ten days, the near impossibility of finding surgical masks has pushed the population to rush on certain basic products and in particular toilet paper.

The government may try to reassure, the lack of confidence is such between the population and the authorities that the Hong Kongers prefer to take their precautions.

While the rare masks on sale have reached record prices, this morning's attack could indicate that the fearsome triads of Hong Kong are now embarking on trafficking or the black market for toilet paper.

► Read also: Coronavirus: reinforced isolation measures in China, first death in Taiwan

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• coronavirus
• China
• consumption
• Hong Kong

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