27th May 2023 – (Hong Kong) HKeToll system has been implemented in various areas in Hong Kong, including the Tsing Sha Control Area and the Lion Rock Tunnel. However, cases of license plate theft have emerged as a result. One car owner recently posted on a Facebook group that he had received a text message from HKeToll, informing him that his car had passed through the Tsing Sha Control Area and was charged HK$8 at 1.28pm that day. The car owner suspected that his licence plate had been stolen and offered a reward of HK$ 100,000 for information leading to the arrest of the thief.
Some netizens suggested that the car owner should report the case to the police, while others speculated that the system may have misread the license plate. However, the car owner replied that his licence plate was not difficult to read, and that he could not afford to replace it. Some netizens also suggested that the new system can help identify fake license plates.
Since the implementation of the HKeToll system earlier this month, there have been reports of automatic deductions of fees without authorisation or double charging, with some car owners suspecting that their licence plates have been stolen or duplicated illegally.