Hong Kong thief 'with good taste' pinches 70 valuable hairy crabs

A thief has pinched 70 hairy crabs from a Hong Kong shop, police said Sunday.

The top-quality crabs _ a seasonal delicacy hugely popular among local residents _ were worth about 10,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$1,280; -1,090), police spokeswoman Ivy Yue said.

More than 600 cheaper crabs were left untouched.

"The thief only stole the expensive crabs. He had good taste," the shop's owner was quoted as saying by Ming Pao Daily.

The burglary was discovered early Saturday when a police officer found that the shop's gate was pried open and notified the owner, Yue said, AP reported. V.A.