Hong Kong police arrested a British man who found himself in an unusual predicament after he accidentally locked his hand in a pair of handcuffs at his residence in the early hours of Wednesday.
The case came to light when the 47-year-old man, a Hong Kong identity card holder, went with his wife to a fire station on Hennessy Road in Wan Chai at around 2.50am to seek help. Firefighters then alerted police.
The man, who is from the security industry, has been detained on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon.
A source familiar with the case said a preliminary investigation suggested the man had earlier discovered a pair of handcuffs gifted to him by a friend a long time ago when he was packing his belongings at his home in Wan Chai.
“When he was playing with the handcuffs, he accidentally secured one of his hands in them and was unable to unlock the cuff,” the insider said.
The couple then went to the Wan Chai fire station to seek help, where firefighters helped unlock the device to free him.
A force spokesman said the man’s wife claimed her husband had accidentally handcuffed himself with a toy at home.
“Officers found that the handcuffs were genuine and not a toy,” the spokesman said. “Police then arrested him for possessing an offensive weapon.”
The man was taken to Wan Chai Police Station, where he was being detained for questioning as of Wednesday morning. He was not hurt in the incident.
Detectives from the Wan Chai criminal investigation unit are handling the case.
Possession of wrist restraints, handcuffs, thumbcuffs, offensive weapons or any instrument intended for illegal use, such as a crowbar, picklock or skeleton key, is punishable by up to two years in jail and a HK$5,000 (US$640) fine under the Summary Offences Ordinance.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51ku6bD0mifqKaXYriwusZoo5qvXZa7pXnCq6CmnV%2BWv7W1wqWcaGtiaX91fpNon6iml2K4sLrGZqeopJmYsm6t0aucrKxdoq6vedOrmKmolZl6qa3NnZqunpaoeqKy056pZqCVYsCwwcahq2aglaG9brLIq5yfoZedwaa%2B0g%3D%3D