Hong Kong: Undesirable Imports

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; Queen's Road Central is the focal point of the toniest shopping and business district in one of the world's safest cities. But earlier this month, hundreds of terrified lunchtime pedestrians rushed for cover as four armed jewelry- store robbers opened fire to make their getaway with $1.3 million worth of gold and gems. Although two suspects were nabbed, the heist was one of the more spectacular of the 100-odd armed robberies committed in Hong Kong this year.

Police believe that many of the latest gangsters come from China, recruited by Hong Kong criminal rings. To stop the influx, the British administration is pledging to work closely with Beijing, which will assume control of the colony in 1997 and whose patrols have been letting more and more people and goods steal past the border. Hong Kong police are pressing for a quicker, simpler response: more money and better weapons now.