Hong Kong diamond thief swapped stone for fake: Police

A thief swapped a $220,000 diamond with a fake at a luxury jewellery store in Hong Kong, police say, as the city wrestles with an uptick in shop theft. - AFP/File / Philippe Lopez

Hong Kong (AFP) - A thief swapped a $220,000 diamond with a fake at a luxury jewellery store in Hong Kong, police said Saturday, as the city wrestles with an uptick in shop theft.

The diamond, valued at around HK$1.7 million ($219,000), was taken by a man in his 30s on Friday from a store in Hong Kong's Central financial district, police said.