Man hammers wife in quarrel

A 56-year-old man has been arrested after attacking his wife with a hammer Friday.

The couple, living in Fu Tong House, Yau Tong Estate, were believed to have quarrelled over money around 6 am. The wife, 57, suffered severe head injuries and was taken, unconscious, to United Christian Hospital. Police later seized a hammer found in the couple's flat.

Teen coaxed out of 4-hr barricade

A 14-year-old teenage boy who barricaded himself in his bedroom for four hours after arguing with his family was coaxed out by police early Friday.

Relations between the boy and his parents, who live in Kwai Tong House, Yau Tong Estate, had become strained over his studies. Following a quarrel on Thursday night, the boy took a kitchen knife and locked himself in his bedroom. Police spent four hours talking to him before the situation ended peacefully at 1 am.

Clerk caught stealing vouchers

A 24-year-old clerk of a gift redemption company has been arrested for the alleged theft of cash vouchers from his employer.

The company, located inside a mall on Sai Yeung Choi South Street in Mong Kok, is taking an inventory to determine the extent of the losses.

Old man drowns at North Point

Police are attempting to identify the body of a 70-year-old man found floating in Victoria Harbour at North Point Friday morning.

The man was sighted in waters off K Wah Centre on Java Road and taken by police to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital. Emergency treatment failed to resuscitate him.

Police said the man was about 5-feet-7-inches tall, of heavy build, with white hair. He was wearing a grey shirt and trousers. He carried no identification papers.

Bank heist: jail for jobless man

A jobless man who attempted to hold up a bank with a mal-functioning air gun was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison in the High Court Friday.

Hui Man-sang, 42, who has a history of drug abuse and mental illness, charged into a Yuen Long branch of TC Bank in January. Brandishing an air gun, he tried unsuccessfully to rob the bank. A bank clerk trailed him as he fled and had Hui arrested. During the court hearing, Hui claimed he was trying to raise money to pay for a fine for littering.

Drug driving prevalent

A survey by the Caritas Lok Heep Club among 270 drug abusers found more than half have driven after using drugs.

Those who admitted to having driven under the influence of drugs said they couldn't resist the urge, didn't think of safety, or drove because it was a requirement of their work.

More than 70 percent of those polled supported passage of legislation to allow police officers to conduct initial drug tests on drivers suspected of driving under the influence of drugs and 56 percent said people caught drug driving should be subject to mandatory rehabilitation and license suspension.

China Daily

(HK Edition 10/16/2010 page1)