A local man was arrested last Friday in San Kio district for stealing 15,000 patacas from an ATM in the northern district on November 12, Public Security Police (PSP) spokeswoman Lai In Hong said at a press briefing yesterday.
The suspect in his sixties surnamed Chan told the police that he works as a hotel security guard.
According to Lai, the victim reported to the Public Security Police last Wednesday that he or she forgot to take the 15,000 patacas after withdrawing the cash from an ATM on November 12. The victim returned to the ATM after about 10 minutes but the money had vanished. The victim checked with the bank staff who confirmed last Wednesday that the money had been taken on that day.
Lai said that the Public Security Police scrutinised the bank’s CCTV footage and discovered that the victim only took the ATM card and bank slip receipt, leaving the 15,000 patacas behind. After about a minute, a man approached the ATM, inserted his card but did not punch in his PIN. He then took the cash and left. PSP officers arrested Chan in Rua da Alegria. Chan admitted that he stole the cash out of greed. He told the police that he had inserted his bank card into the ATM and pretended to withdraw money. Chan said that he kept the money in his home in the mainland.
Chan has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a theft-by-finding charge, according to Lai.
This undated handout photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) yesterday shows PSP officers escorting the theft suspect to a police station.
