Two cabbies were arrested for damaging property worth 39,000 patacas in a restaurant in Rua Direita Carlos Eugénio in Taipa last Sunday night, Public Security Police (PSP) spokeswoman Lai In Hong said at a regular press conference on Friday.
The two local male suspects are surnamed Hong and Ho who are in their fifties and thirties respectively.
According to Lai, an employee of the restaurant reported to the Public Security Police (PSP) last Sunday night that a dispute occurred there. PSP officers arrived at the scene to investigate. The employee told the police about hearing a loud noise outside the restaurant that night, after which about 10 men entered the restaurant and damaged the property, and they demanded to meet the person in charge to discuss a “commission” issue. The men tipped over the reception podium, overturned a marble dining table and a dish rack, them they left the scene, causing damage worth 39,000 patacas, Lai said.
According to Lai, PSP officers identified five suspects including Hong and Ho through CCTV footage, and told them to report to a police station for questioning. Hong and Ho both admitted that they damaged some of the restaurant’s property. Hong told the police that he had previously reached a deal with the restaurant owner to get a “commission” of 300 patacas for every passenger he took to the restaurant. After he took three diners at about 8 p.m. that evening, the restaurant refused to pay him “commission” of 900 patacas. He was angry and told the other cabbies about it through their communication network. The cabbies, including Ho and Hong, went to the restaurant later that night to “negotiate” with the person in charge. Upon arrival, Hong tipped over the reception podium outside the restaurant and overturned the marble table inside the restaurant causing damage of about 31,000 patacas. Ho overturned the dish rack outside the restaurant causing damage of about 8,000 patacas.
However, the person in charge could not be contacted and all of them left the scene.
Lai said the other three men claimed to have come to the restaurant to express their support over the “commission” issue.
PSP officers are continuing their investigation concerning the five other men involved in the case.
The duo have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP). Hong faces a charge of aggravated property damage while Ho faces a charge of property damage, according to Lai.
This undated handout photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) on Friday shows the two cabbies being escorted by officers to a police vehicle.
