A Vietnamese non-resident worker was arrested on Sunday night for shoplifting two gold bracelets worth 33,140 patacas from a jewellery shop in the city centre, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Choi Ian Fai said during a special press conference yesterday.
The 30-year-old suspect surnamed Lu works in an eatery.
Choi said that Lu has gambling debts. Upon his arrest, Lu confessed that besides stealing the two gold bracelets, he also embezzled 20,000 patacas from his company late last month Lu.
According to Choi, Lu harmed himself out of fear of being caught by the police. He was arrested by the police when he returned home on Sunday. He told the police that he had gambled away all his ill-gotten gains.
According to Choi, Lu pretended to be a customer when he entered the jewellery shop on Thursday afternoon. He asked the salesperson to show him two gold bracelets worth 33,140 patacas. He snatched the bracelets and ran away. The jewellery shop staff who gave chase failed to catch him, after which they reported the case to the police.
According to Choi, the police discovered that Lu lives in the Estrada do Cemitério neighbourhood thanks to CCTV footage. However, Lu did not return home after committing the crime until Sunday night when he was nabbed by the police. Lu was found to have sustained stab wounds. Choi said that Lu self-mutilated out of fear of being caught for this crime.
Upon questioning, Lu said that he’s addicted to gambling and had debts exceeding 100,000 patacas which he has been unable to pay. Lu also confessed that he embezzled 20,000 patacas from his company late last month before shoplifting the two gold bracelets from the jewellery shop on Thursday. He pawned the loot for 23,000 patacas which he gambled away in a casino in the city centre, according to Choi.
Lu was transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of aggravated theft and fraud involving a considerable amount, officially defined as ranging between 30,000 and 150,000 patacas, according to Choi.
The hooded shoplifting suspect is escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers from the PJ headquarters in Zape to a vehicle for his transfer to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) yesterday. Photo: Iong Tat Choi
