Police in Hong Kong said men armed with knives stole about 600 rolls of toilet paper Monday, the BBC reported.
They held up a delivery driver who was restocking a store's supply in the Mong Kok district of Hong Kong, CNN reported.
The value of the toilet paper was 1,695 Hong Kong dollars, or about $218 in U.S. currency, the BBC reported.
Stores in Hong Kong have been running out of toilet paper, and people will stand in long lines when a new supply arrives.
People have also been stocking up on rice, pasta and cleaning items, despite the government trying to tell its population that supplies are not affected by the coronavirus. Rumors of shortages came after China announced there would be some borders closed because of the virus, CNN reported.
Some stores have set limits on how much people can buy.
Singapore has also seen cases of panic buying of toilet paper, hand sanitizer and face masks, the BBC reported.
More than 71,000 have been infected with the illness around the world. There are 57 confirmed cases in Hong Kong, with one person dying from the virus in the city, CNN reported.
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