Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lei Ch Hou announced on Friday the arrest of a 46-year-old firefighter last Monday, in which he allegedly burgled his ex-girlfriend’s flat, stealing HK$100,000 in cash and gambling it all away in a casino.
Friday’s special press conference noted that the local suspect, surnamed Sio, entered the Fire Services Bureau (CB) in 1998.
According to Lei, the Judiciary Police received a report from a local woman last Monday about the disappearance of HK$100,000 in cash from her home, saying that her ex-boyfriend had burgled her flat.
Sio, Lei said, had kept the key to the victim’s flat he had had since both were dating and had not returned it to the victim after their breakup last month. Lei added that the suspect would, occasionally on behalf of the victim, pick up and take online shopping parcels to her home.
The PJ investigation showed, according to Lei, that Sio picked up the victim’s parcels again last Sunday and delivered them to her home when he took advantage of no one being there to enter the victim’s bedroom and stole HK$100,000 in cash from the bedside table, after which he left the flat.
The victim did not report the case to the Judiciary Police until Sio informed the victim last Monday of the “theft” through an instant messaging app, Lei said, adding that the Judiciary Police identified the suspect and arrested him near his home. Sio claimed to have gambled away the stolen money at a local casino.
Firemen – as all other public servants – are banned from gambling in local casinos, with the exception of three days during the Chinese New Year holiday.
Sio was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Friday, where he faces an aggravated theft charge.
Fire Services Bureau ‘deeply’ regrets case
Meanwhile, the Fire Services Bureau (CB) said in a statement on Friday that it was “highly” concerned about the transfer of Sio to the Public Prosecutions Office for allegedly stealing valuables from his ex-girlfriend and “deeply” regretted it, reaffirming that the bureau always attaches importance to the discipline and conduct of its staff members. According to the statement, the bureau has meanwhile launched procedural investigations into the incident and ordered Sio to serve a precautionary suspension from his duties, holding him accountable for his disciplinary responsibilities in accordance with the law.
The statement underlined that the bureau always attaches great importance to the ethical conduct and law-abiding awareness of its staff members, stressing that all violations of the law and discipline will be punished according to the law, dealt with seriously, and not be tolerated.
So far this year, Sio is the sixth staff member of the Public Security portfolio, which includes the Fire Services Bureau, accused of serious offences and disciplinary procedures.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded fireman, suspected of stealing HK$100,000 from his ex-girlfriend’s home, from the PJ headquarters in Zape to a PJ vehicle after Friday’s special press conference. – Photo courtesy of TDM
