A man from the mainland was arrested on Monday for alleged vehicle burglary and possession of an imitation pistol and bullets, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Choi Iok Kin and Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon announced at a joint special press conference at the PJ headquarters yesterday.
The 44-year-old jobless suspect surnamed Zhao entered Macau on New Year’s Eve via the Barrier Gate checkpoint from the mainland.
According to Choi, a resident reported to the Public Security Police on Monday morning that someone had broken the window of his van parked at a parking meter in Avenida Panorâmica do Lago Sai Van (&وئW٤ْ٤:$j٠(٨ٹ). Coins worth 10 patacas kept in the van as well as the vehicle registration certificate had vanished. The victim reported a loss of about 13,000 patacas, including the cost of repairing the vehicle’s window and re-applying for the vehicle registration.
Choi said that the Public Security Police discovered a man looking suspicious in Praça de Ferreira do Amaral on Monday afternoon. The officers intercepted Zhao and seized a black imitation pistol, five fake bullets and some cash from him. Zhao was carrying a bag containing a black window breaker and two mainland ID cards belonging to others, and the officers suspect that one them is fake.
According to Choi, the Public Security Police discovered later that day in the nearby bushes a bag containing a utility knife, two pairs of gloves, a pair of safety glasses, a black window breaker, and a black jacket which PSP officers suspect were used by Zhao for committing other crimes.
The Public Security Police passed the case to the Judiciary Police as Zhao was carrying the fake pistol and bullets. According to Leng, the PJ spokesman, PJ officers discovered that Zhao entered the Barrier Gate checkpoint on New Year’s Eve and went straight to Nam Van Lake and Macau Tower, walking around the area. The officers believe, Leng said, that he was looking for vehicles which he could break into to steal valuables. The officers discovered that Zhao appeared at the crime scene at around 5 a.m. on Monday. He stayed there for about 15 minutes and left.
Under questioning, Zhao refused to cooperate with the police. He also refused to reveal why he had the fake pistols and bullets with him, and where he had got them. The Judiciary Police believe that Zhao committed the car burglary and are continuing their investigation into the case to see whether Zhao was involved in other crimes, Leng said.
Zhao was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday morning, facing charges of aggravated theft, possession of prohibited weapons and explosive substances, document forgery and using or possessing others’ forged documents or documents, according to Leng.
The hooded car burglary suspect is escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers from the PJ headquarters to a PJ vehicle in Zape yesterday. Photos courtesy of TDM
Evidence seized from the suspect such as an imitation pistol, five fake bullets, currency notes, two pairs of gloves, a pair of safety glasses, a window breaker and a black jacket is displayed at the Judiciary Police (PJ) headquarters yesterday.
