A mainland man was arrested on Thursday when he was about to leave Macau via the Hengqin checkpoint for allegedly committing four bus thefts involving valuables worth a total of 8,180 patacas, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chan Wun Man said at a special press conference on Friday.
According to Chan, the Judiciary Police received reports from four victims – two local senior citizens and two female tourists in recent months, saying that they had their belongings stolen on buses from Rua do Campo, Patane, Tamagini Barbosa Municipal Market and Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro respectively, each reporting the theft of 1,200 patacas, 880 patacas and 3,100 patacas in cash, as well as a gold necklace valued at 3,000 patacas, respectively, as well as their identification documents.
The Judiciary Police identified the suspect as a 58-year-old man, surnamed Liu, from the mainland, Chan said, adding that Liu had left Macau on January 9 via the Barrier Gate checkpoint and entered Macau again on February 17, when PJ officers put him under surveillance.
A PJ investigation showed that after entering the city, Liu took a number of buses trying to commit further thefts, but failed, according to Chan, who noted that PJ officers arrested Liu at about 1 p.m. on Thursday, when he was about to leave Macau again.
Under questioning, Liu refused to cooperate with the police, Chan said, adding that a PJ investigation found that in each theft, Liu used his coat or backpack to cover up his movements and steal the belongings of his victims, mostly targeting senior citizens, women and children.
Chan added that at the time of Friday morning’s press conference another male suspect believed to be Liu’s accomplice and having been involved in one of the four cases, was still at large.
Liu was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Friday, facing aggravated theft charges, Chan noted.
During the press conference, on behalf of the Judiciary Police, Chan urged residents and tourists alike to keep a close eye on their belongings when using public transportation.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the suspected bus pickpocket from the mainland to a PJ vehicle parked outside the PJ headquarters in Zape after Friday morning’s special press conference about the case. – Photo courtesy of TDM
