Hong Kong - Crime

Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world, but a person should always take precautions so as not to be one of the few victims in the city. Thankfully, violent crime is extremely rare among strangers. I personally don't worry about personal safety when I'm wandering around Hong Kong.

Cell phone theft is extremely common, especially if you have a nice little phone.  Within a minute a thief can take your SIM card out of the phone, so it's impossible to tell that it is yours.  Do not lend your phone to strangers as they can use one of the many, free public phones available.

Pick pockets are not common, but you should guard against them anyway as it does happen here from time to time as the city is crowded and it's easy to get jostled without noticing that the person is taking your pocketbook.

Always lock your door, and be aware of valuables inside the house. Many amahs (maids) are honest, but do not tempt them by leaving your jewelry or other valuables lying around.

Use common sense. If someone is at your door and you don't know who they are, ask for identification. I have never had a problem with a stranger at my door, but had friends in my building who had an unknown-to-them artist push his way into their apartment and try to sell them paintings for a half an hour as he wasn't prepared to leave! If someone is coming to fix something in your apartment, they should have called in advance and arranged an appropriate time. 

Should crime occur, call the police and report it immediately.