XN000022-1980-03-28 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1980

THE THREE MEN RAN ALONG KIMBERLEY ROAD TOWARDS AUSTIN AVENUE. WITH PCS TUNG AND CHAN IN HOT PURSUIT. CHAN WAS BLEEDING FROM HIS ELBOW WOUND.

THE THREE MEN THEN BOARDED A TAXI IN AUSTIN ROAD AND THE TWO CHASING POLICEMEN ALSO GOT INTO A TAXI TO FOLLOW. SHOTS WERE EXCHANGED DURING THE CHASE.

AT THIS MOMENT, PC LEUNG ARRIVED AND JOINED IN THE CHASE DURING WHICH HE ALSO OPENED FIRE.

THOUGH THE THREE WANTED MEN MADE GOOD THE IR ESCAPE ON THAT DAY. THEY WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH OTHER OFFENCES.

IN HIS LETTER TO PC CHAN, THE GOVERNOR SAID: YOUR COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND DETERMINATION IN PURSUING CRIMINALS WHEN YOU WERE ALREADY WOUNDED WERE IN THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE.+

TO PC LEUNG, THE GOVERNOR SAID. ALTHOUGH STRUCK BY A BULLET YOU DISPLAYED A HIGH DEGREE OF COURAGE AND DETERMINATION IN RETURNING FIRE AND PURSUING THE CRIMINALS.

THE GOVERNOR'S LETTER TO PC TUNG SAID: +YOUR COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND YOUR DETERMINATION IN PURSUING THE CRIMINALS WHEN YOU WERE UNDER FIRE WERE IN THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE. I CONGRATULATE YOU MOST WARMLY ON A WELL DESERVED AWARD.+

CUSTOMS OFFICER WOO KIN-LEUNG OF THE INVESTIGATION BUREAU OF THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT, WAS AWARDED THE QUEEN'S COMMENDATION FOR BRAVE CONDUCT FOR THE GALLANTRY HE DISPLAYED IN FOILING AN ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY IN MONG KOK IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR.

MR WOO, WHO WAS OFF DUTY AND IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, WAS VISITING A FRIEND AT A RADIO SHOP IN ARGYLE STREET, MONG KOK. AS HE WAS ABOUT TO ENTER, HE WAS CONFRONTED BY A MAN WITH A KNIFE WHO IGNORED MR WOO'S CALL TO STOP AND STRUCK AT HIM, SLASHING MR WOO'S JACKET,

MR WOO THEN DREW HIS REVOLVER AND AGAIN ORDERED THE MAN TO STOP. WHEN HE WAS AGAIN ATTACKED MR WOO OPENED FIRE, INJURED THE MAN IN THE LEFT ANKLE.

MR WOO THEN ENTERED THE SHOP AND FOUND TWO MORE ROBBERS INSIDE, BOTH ARMED WITH KNIVES. THE TWO MEN DISREGARDED THE COMMAND TO SURRENDER AND ATTACKED MR WOO, WHO OPENED FIRE, KILLING ONE AND INJURING THE OTHER.

THE TWO INJURED ROBBERS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY SENTENCED, ONE TO 7-1/2 YEARS AND THE OTHER TO 5-1/2 YEARS IMPRISONMENT, MR WOO WAS PRAISED IN COURT BY MR JUSTICE O'CONNOR FOR HIS PROPER ACTION AND GREAT PRESENCE OF MIND IN THE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.

MR WOO WAS ALSO INFORMED OF HIS AWARD IN A LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR, WHICH WAS PRESENTED TO HIM BY COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS, MR DOUGLAS JORDAN YESTERDAY.

MR JORDAN

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