A 35-year-old robbery suspect escaped police custody barefoot from a Hong Kong hospital while receiving stomach cancer treatment, but was recaptured hours later after stealing a taxi driver's phone during multiple rides. The man, surnamed Lam, fled during an escort for an X-ray scan and took at least three taxis to Yuen Long, changing clothes in Mong Kok.
The incident took place around 11am on Friday at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Jordan, where the 35-year-old suspect surnamed Lam was receiving treatment for stomach cancer. Escorted by two police officers, each with about 20 years of experience, for an X-ray scan, he "took the opportunity to flee", according to a source. Lam escaped barefoot, dressed in a white top and hospital trousers.
Police immediately launched a manhunt involving two teams. About four hours later, he was recaptured in Yuen Long. Another source said Lam had taken at least three taxi rides to get there, stealing a mobile phone from one driver and selling it. He was believed to have changed his clothes in Mong Kok.
No further details were released by police, but the suspect had been arrested for robbery and was under treatment. The escape highlights challenges in custody arrangements at medical facilities.