The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a male overstayer from the Chinese mainland on Thursday for stealing chips worth HK$237,000 from a gaming table, PJ spokesman Leng Kam Lon said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Leng identified the suspect as a 42-year-old male surnamed Wang who claimed to be jobless.
According to Leng, a female gambler had placed HK$237,000 in gaming chips on a gaming table at a casino in Cotai on Thursday evening before stepping away to watch others gambling.
Upon her return a short time later, she noticed Wang walking briskly away and discovered the chips were missing from the table. After failing to stop him, the victim immediately alerted casino security, who pursued and intercepted Wang. During the chase, Wang discarded the stolen chips in a flowerpot within the casino. Security personnel eventually apprehended him and reported the case to the police.
The police later recovered all of the stolen chips. Leng added that Wang had overstayed his legal permission to remain in Macau by three days and had been frequenting the casino and its surrounding area during that period.
Wang has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a theft charge.
This undated handout photo provided by the Judiciary Police (PJ) yesterday shows the stolen chips.
