The Public Security Police (PSP) have arrested a man for pocketing 10,000 patacas in cash a woman left in a local bank branch’s ATM in the northern district, PSP spokesman Wong Wai Chon said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Wong said the suspect surnamed Lai is in his forties. The female victim’s personal information was not revealed. The spokesman did not reveal if the ATM is located indoors or outdoors.
According to Wong, the incident happened in late June. The woman went to the ATM to withdraw cash on two occasions, withdrawing 10,000 patacas each time. Wong said that on the second occasion the woman was in a rush and forgot to remove the cash that she had withdrawn from the ATM. When she was on her way home she realised that she had forgotten to take the cash. She rushed back to the ATM but discovered that the 10,000 had vanished, Wong said.
The victim reported the case to the police, reporting a loss of 10,000 patacas, Wong said.
Thanks to the bank’s CCTV footage, police officers identified Lai as the suspect. He was arrested at his home in Rua de Évora in Taipa on Friday evening.
Lai told the police that he saw the cash sticking out of the ATM and he decided to pocket it. He told the police that he took the cash as he was “overcome by greed”, Wong said.Lai has been transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) for further investigation.
